Usyk – Fury 2: What you need to know about heavyweight star rematch
Photo: Oleksandr Usyk will step into the ring against Tyson Fury for the second time (facebook.com/K2Ukraine)
The match between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk and British Tyson Fury for the collection of heavyweight championship belts will be a spectacular conclusion to 2024 in the world of boxing.
All the news surrounding the second fight between Usyk and Fury can be found in the RBC-Ukraine material.
The Usyk–Fury fight will take place on December 21 in the Arabian capital, Riyadh, at the local Kingdom Arena. The exact time of the match will be announced later. Oleksandr Usyk, the holder of the WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight championship belts, will face former multi-version champion Tyson Fury. Unlike the first fight, the winner of this matchup will not claim the title of undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Bookmakers' predictions for the Usyk – Fury 2 fight
Experts consider the Ukrainian boxer the favorite in the second matchup. The odds for Usyk's victory are set at 1.57 by the Favbet bookmaker. Meanwhile, the odds for a possible win by British boxer Tyson Fury are 2.40. A draw, although rare, has a solid 15.00 odds.
For an early win by the current WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO champion, the odds are 4.00. For those looking for a more thrilling bet, there are odds on a specific round ending. For example, a Fury win in the fourth round would yield a 51-fold payout, while a victory for Usyk in the third round at the end of the fight has odds of 50.00.
Undercard of the Usyk – Fury 2 fight
The second fight between the Ukrainian boxer and the Brit will be the highlight of a major boxing night. Before the Usyk and Fury showdown, a series of smaller-caliber fights will warm up the crowd. Five bouts have already been confirmed, including Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk facing Uzbek boxer Israil Madrimov, who lost to American Terence Crawford in the summer in a fight for the WBA and WBO titles in the junior middleweight division.
Confirmed undercard fights:
- Bohachuk – Madrimov
- Itauma – McKean
- Fisher – Allen
- McCann – McGrail
- Lowe – McGregor
Key events leading up to the Usyk – Fury 2 fight
In mid-November, Tyson "Gypsy King" Fury announced the start of his preparations for the rematch. He traveled to Malta, where he will train for 5 weeks before heading to Riyadh directly for the fight.
In October, the organizers unveiled the official fight poster, which had a special undertone. First, Usyk's last name is now listed first everywhere. Second, Fury's figure is slightly obscured by the champion Usyk.
In early September, Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk announced the start of his training camp for the second fight. Usyk is preparing for the battle in Spain and will fly directly from there to the Middle East.
In June, Usyk voluntarily relinquished his International Boxing Federation (IBF) title. He gave up the mandatory defense of his title in favor of the rematch with Fury. In September, the British fighter Daniel Dubois became the IBF champion.
Originally, the fight was scheduled for October 2024 in Riyadh. The "Gypsy King" activated the rematch clause in their contract. The new date for the fight was later set for December 21.
Usyk and Fury's fight records
Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk has fought 22 professional bouts, winning all of them, including 14 by knockout. He claimed the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO titles after his first victory over Anthony Joshua, and he earned the vacant The Ring title after their second bout. In May, Usyk defeated WBC champion Tyson Fury and became the undisputed world champion for several months.
Before facing Usyk, Tyson "Gypsy King" Fury was undefeated. He fought 36 bouts, winning 34 of them (24 by knockout). However, his first of three encounters with American boxer Deontay Wilder ended in a draw. In the fall of 2015, he effectively ended the career of another Ukrainian boxing icon, Vladimir Klitschko.
Top facts about Paul’s victory over Tyson in Texas were previously compiled.
