It's official: Oleksander Usyk-Tyson Fury Rematch to go down on December 21st

Written by: Sean Crose

The first battle was truly memorable. Now Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will meet again. The first fight between the two men went down earlier this month in Saudi Arabia. It was a close encounter, but Syk knocked Fury down in the ninth and continued to fight well when Fury got back to his feet. After the final bell rang that night in Saudi Arabia, the judges awarded Usyk a decision victory and the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. Fury had a chance to redeem himself in the ring, however, as both Usyk signed on for a rematch before the first fight went down.

Of course, both men are willing to do it again – in Saudi Arabia. “The rematch between Undisputed Champion Oleksandr Usyk and Champion Tyson Fury is now scheduled for December 21, 2024 in the Riyadh season,” Turki Alalshikh of Saudi Arabian sports said on social media on Wednesday. “The world is going to watch another historic fight…Our dedication to boxing fans continues…We hope you enjoy it… ” If the second fight is as impressive as the first fight, there is a good chance that people will enjoy it.

For replacement Fury, the key to the rematch will be his ability to prevent Usyk from hurting him. After all, if Usyk hadn't hurt Fury in the first fight, the outcome might have been very different. On the other hand, Usyk has to prepare himself for Fury who has changed his game plan. Anger, for those who don't know, can fight and argue. He punched hard the first time. Team Usyk may prepare for a more aggressive Fury in the rematch this December. Of course, questions about how this second battle will play out are part of what makes it interesting.

Another potential problem is that – unlike the first fight – the rematch will not be for the vacant title. There is no guarantee that the four major boxing organizations – the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO – will all approve Usyk's rematch with Fury. However, does that really matter? Usyk has proven that he is a heavyweight by beating Fury. And, if Fury wins the rematch, there is no doubt that he will have proven that he is the best in the division.

This may be one of those rare cases where the topics at stake don't mean much.