Alexander Usyk and Tyson Fury deliver a crazy boxing showdown with a close finish. Now the two stars will step into the ring again
The undisputed heavyweight world champion Alexander Usyk will challenge the dethroned boxing champion Tyson Fury to a rematch on December 21 in Riyadh. This was announced by the Saudi organizers on Wednesday.
This means that Fury will get his revenge after Usyk snatched the WBC world championship belt from him in the Saudi Arabian capital on May 18 and crowned himself the first undisputed world champion in the premier class for 25 years.
The rematch was stipulated in the fight contract, Fury had announced it in the ring immediately after the points defeat to the Ukrainian, but later backtracked somewhat at the press conference. It was the 35-year-old Brit’s first defeat in his 36th professional fight.
However, it is unlikely that all four titles of the major federations WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF will be at stake again in December. It is expected that the IBF will strip Usyk of his belt, as the 37-year-old will not next face the mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic from Croatia. Usyk, who is undefeated in 22 fights, has since applied for an exemption to retain the title.