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Tyson Fury makes Oleksandr Usyk rematch decision after brutal defeat

21 May 2024 , 11:42
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Tyson Fury speaks after his fight against Oleksandr Usyk (Image: Getty Images)
Tyson Fury speaks after his fight against Oleksandr Usyk (Image: Getty Images)

Tyson Fury WILL fight Oleksandr Usyk again in October after losing his world title to the Ukrainian last weekend.

Fury was outpointed by Usyk in Saudi Arabia as the Ukrainian was crowned the first undisputed heavyweight world champion for 25 years. The rivals agreed to a rematch last year but Fury was reluctant to commit to a second meeting in the immediate aftermath of his first professional defeat.

But the Brit's promoter Frank Warren has now confirmed the rematch will take place in Riyadh on the targeted date of October 12 or 13. Asked about Fury since the fight, Warren told talkSPORT: "He's back here; he's recuperating and his mood is that he wants the rematch. That is already signed for so that will happen."

The rematch is unlikely to have the undisputed title at stake, however, with Usyk set to be stripped of his IBF belt within days due to a overdue mandatory defence of that title. Filip Hrgovic has been the mandated challenger since he beat Zhilei Zhang 18 months ago and will instead challenge for the belt when he takes on Daniel Dubois on June 1.

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Fury returned home on Sunday after losing to Usyk hours earlier and Warren said earlier on Tuesday: "When the fight was made, there was a rematch clause. That was the condition that was required by the people who invested in the fight and so if Tyson wants it, and he has said he does want it, then it will go ahead. But I told him to go off... he's had six months in training camp. He's had three weeks with his family in that time. I told him to go and enjoy it with his family, sit down then come back. Contractually it's there and if he wants to come back and do it then fine."

Usyk added Fury’s WBC belt to his WBA, WBO and IBF titles with a split decision victory that crowns him as the division’s first undisputed champion for almost a quarter of a century. An enthralling contest full of momentum shifts, skill and courage ended with the first defeat of Fury’s career and with an immediate rematch clause written into the fighters’ contract, they will clash again later this year.

But the ‘Gypsy King’ said afterwards that he would lick his wounds after being outfought and out-thought in a classic heavyweight encounter that surpassed expectations. “I’ve just had a fight. As you can see from my face, I’m pretty busted up and Usyk’s gone to hospital with a broken jaw. He’s busted up too,” said Fury, his face heavily marked after a brutal night’s work.

“We punched f*** out of each other for 12 rounds, so I’ll go home, eat some food, drink a few beers, have some family time, walk the dog, go to the tip. I will regroup and then me and (promoter) Frank Warren will talk about what’s going to happen in the future. I’ll speak to the wife and kids and see what I want to do. If there’s going to be another fight in October, well then Rock’n Roll Sally. Get up!”

Martin Domin

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