Tyson Fury, known as “The Gypsy King,” failed to achieve the milestone of becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in May. The Ukrainian fighter claimed a split-decision victory to unify the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF titles, marking the first time in 25 years all four major belts were held by a single fighter. Despite his defeat, Fury began his journey to redemption, though the rematch will not include all the championships Usyk initially won.
Usyk’s reign as the undisputed champion was short-lived, lasting only a few months. His commitment to a lucrative rematch with Fury meant he could not fulfill a mandatory IBF title defense, leading to his being stripped of the belt in September. Consequently, the rematch in Saudi Arabia will feature only three of the four heavyweight titles: the IBO, WBC, and WBO belts. This situation has disappointed fans hoping for another undisputed championship fight.
In Usyk’s absence, Daniel Dubois was promoted to the full IBF champion after initially holding the interim belt, which he secured by defeating Filip Hrgovic in June. Dubois solidified his claim to the title by knocking out Anthony Joshua in a commanding defense of his championship. He is now set to face Joseph Parker on February 22, with the outcome potentially impacting future undisputed title opportunities in the heavyweight division.
Boxing fans are optimistic that the next undisputed fight won’t take another two decades to materialize. If Fury and Usyk emerge from their rematch victorious and intact, they could face Dubois in a historic unification bout. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has expressed enthusiasm for such a fight, emphasizing the importance of unification bouts and the WBC’s commitment to promoting the best matchups in the sport. He believes the winner of Fury vs. Usyk fighting Dubois would be sensational for boxing.
The rematch between Fury and Usyk is set for December 21 and promises to be a major event, albeit without the undisputed title on the line. Fans can follow the fight live through talkSPORT’s commentary team, who will be on-site in Riyadh to provide comprehensive coverage of the bout. Both fighters are expected to earn significant purses, continuing to draw global attention to the heavyweight division.
