When Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury on May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with a split decision, it was the first time in 25 years there had been an undisputed heavyweight boxing champion.
The first fight was a thrilling, breathless affair and it is no wonder a rematch was called for almost instantaneously. There are simply still so many questions for both fighters to answer.
Will Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs), a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, make more history and prove he is truly the best of this generation? Or will Fury (34-1-1 24 KOs) turn things around and avenge the only defeat of his career to date?
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fight.
Key details:
Date: Saturday, Dec. 21. The event is scheduled to start at 4.00 p.m. GMT, with the main event ring walks slated to start around 10.00 p.m. GMT.
Venue: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
How to watch: The fight is available to purchase on pay-per-view across Sky Sports and TNT Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the UK and United States. ESPN will also have live updates of the fight.
What belts are at stake?
Usyk relinquished his IBF title in June, with Daniel Dubois becoming champion and defending the belt against Anthony Joshua in September. However, the Ukranian still holds the three other main belts (WBA, WBO & WBC). These will be up for grabs on Saturday.
While Usyk will want to show his victory was no fluke, Fury is in unchartered territory, coming off a defeat for the first time in his professional career. The Brit will be desperate to avenge the loss and capture the belts for himself, while at the same time inflicting a first professional loss to his opponent.
What happened last time?
While Usyk won via split decision, there are those that say he won it more convincingly, and those who are adamant it was a close fight. Judge Craig Metcalfe scored the fight 114-113 to Fury, while Manuel Oliver Palermo had it 115-112 in favour of Usyk. Mike Fitzgerald scored it 114-113, also in favour of the Ukranian.
While Fury started well in the eyes of many, and certainly had the better of Rounds 5,6 and 7, the fight swung in Round 8 — when Fury was caught on the nose with a left hand — and Round 9, when Usyk scored a knockdown and had Fury scrambling, his legs seemingly gone, only to be saved by the bell.
However, as he has showed before, Fury has a remarkable ability to bounce back and recovered well, winning the 12th round on all three official scorecards.
Usyk, too, was visibly beaten up after the fight, proving it was a brutal bout regardless of the outcome.
Fury has admitted he may have got complacent during the fight, producing some trademark showmanship when he should have been dialled in. All this leads to an intriguing rematch on Saturday.
Statistics
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Usyk outlanded Fury 170-157 in total punches; the 170 landed punches were the most by any Fury opponent.
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The knockdown in Round 9 was the eighth time Fury has his the canvas in his career.
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The victory made Usyk the third fighter in the four-belt era to be undisputed champion in two divisions after Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue.
Who is on the undercard?
Light middleweight: Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) vs. Ishmael Davis (13-1, 6 KOs)
Heavyweight: Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) vs. Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs)
Heavyweight: Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) vs. David Allen (23-6-2, 18 KOs)
Featherweight: Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs) vs. Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 11 KOs)
