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Oleksandr Usyk

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Tyson Fury is gearing up in attempt to avenge the first loss of his professional career, handed to him by Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year.

The first battle for the undisputed heavyweight crown in over two decades lived up to its billing, with Usyk starting strong but giving way to Fury’s momentum in the middle rounds.

The Ukrainian, as he has done many times before, found another level late on and scored a 10-8 round after battering the Brit around the ring. It was enough to earn him a split decision on the scorecards to become a four-belt champion in a second division.

Fury has said he took his eye off the ball, though still believes he deserved the nod on the cards, and has assured fans he will right the wrong on December 21 when they run it back in Saudi Arabia. One great boxing mind who believes him is Shakur Stevenson, three-weight world champion and defensive master.

Speaking on social media, Stevenson backed the bigger man.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

“I got Fury in the rematch, whoever wanna bet some bread on it hit my line. As long as he in dog shape it’s gone be easy! … Usyk is one of the greatest I ever seen to be honest, but if Tyson Fury is in tip top shape and locked in I got him for sure.”

The second fight will not be for the undisputed championship after Usyk vacated the IBF belt. That was then given to Daniel Dubois, who defended it in emphatic fashion against Anthony Joshua – two men the Ukrainian soundly beat on his way to the history books.

Anthony Joshua is one fight away from becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.

After losing his unified titles to Oleksandr Usyk and falling short again in the rematch, Joshua has now linked up with coach Ben Davison. He is on a good run of form, stopping Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou dominantly.

He now faces newly elevated IBF Champion Daniel Dubois on September 21. Although a win will set him up to face the winner of the Usyk and Tyson Fury rematch, there are plenty of top contenders waiting in the wings if he wants to keep busy.

Joshua will decide Dubois bout – Okolie

 

One such fighter is Martin Bakole, who has long claimed to be the danger-man of the division but, until recently, didn’t have a standout performance on the big stage.

That changed when he destructively dismantled American Jared Anderson, tipped by many to be a future world champion, in five rounds. Bakole gained recognition from the US audience that night in Los Angeles and became known to UK fans for more than just his impressive sparring stories of dropping and stopping the best heavyweights.

He now deserves big fights only, and he has called out ‘AJ’ to face him in Africa à la Ali and Foreman’s Rumble in the Jungle. Should it take place, Bakole recently told BOXXER how it would go after previously claiming to have seriously hurt the Brit behind closed doors in the gym.

Anthony Joshua: Biography, record, fights and more - ESPN

 

“Anthony Joshua – knockout, round four or five … This year I’m coming to knock them out. Stop them or punish them.”

There’s certainly an appetite for the fight, as there is to see Bakole in with any of the big names, but ‘AJ’ is firmly focused on Dubois and then, should he manage to avenge his loss to Usyk, Tyson Fury.

Usyk has fought – and beaten – both Joshua and Fury and has now predicted how a fight between the Brits might play out

Oleksandr Usyk has backed Anthony Joshua to beat Tyson Fury if the Brits finally fight next year.

Usyk has fought both men, outpointing Joshua to become heavyweight world champion before beating him again in the rematch, while he beat Fury earlier this year to be crowned the undisputed ruler of the division. Usyk will take on Fury again in December while Joshua is preparing to face Daniel Dubois next month.

If the Brits win their respective bouts, they could meet early in 2025, 10 years after their rivalry began. And Usyk believes Joshua would come out on top, telling Boxing King Media : “I guess Anthony, ‘AJ’. I guess ‘AJ’.”

Oleksandr Usyk promises to halt Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury to become  undisputed champion | Boxing | Sport | Express.co.uk

 

Barry Hearn, father to Joshua’s promoter Eddie, believes the fight can happen even if Fury loses to Usyk again. “Joshua against Tyson Fury in early 2025 is the fight that we have a responsibility to deliver and we don’t walk away from our responsibilities,”

“I think it’s all of our duty, those involved. We have to keep delivering the very best product. We need to do that fight. I think personally that Usyk beats Fury in the rematch. It’s easier to make if Fury beats Usyk, because then if Joshua has beaten [Daniel] Dubois then you’ve got the unification fight because Joshua will hold the IBF belt.

“Usyk is a top-class world champion as a boxer, but doesn’t have the commercial appeal of Tyson Fury. So whatever happens in Fury-Usyk still assuming that AJ has won – and mustn’t get carried away with that, it’s not a foregone conclusion – assuming that AJ is victorious in that fight, there is no bigger fight in the world still than Fury and AJ.

“It’s the one the world’s waiting for. There isn’t a venue big enough to stage the number of people that would like to attend that. It will be colossal.” Joshua and Fury came closest to fighting in 2021 when terms were agreed for the showdown. But Fury was instead forced to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time as Joshua went on to ultimately lose his belts to Usyk.

Following a fascinating first encounter, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will renew their rivalries on December 21.

When these two heavyweight champions first met in May, it was the first time the undisputed title had been contested since Lennox Lewis won it almost a quarter of a century before.

In a close fight, both men had periods of success, though it was the Ukrainian southpaw who landed the standout blow of the battle and sent Fury spinning around the ropes to earn himself a knockdown.

After 12 rounds, he was awarded a split decision win to become the holder of all four major belts plus the Ring Magazine and lineal title, six years after doing the same down at cruiserweight, and 12 years after becoming an Olympic gold medalist.

Speaking to the Criminal Connection Podcast, former WBC heavyweight champion Frank Bruno was asked for his view on who won the fight and said he scored it in favour Usyk.

“Usyk won, I think. You can’t really deny that. You can try and go round the corners or whatever but Usyk won.”

Since the final bell, Usyk has admitted he made mistakes that will not be repeated in the rematch, while Fury has said he was having too much fun and next time will get the job done properly.

Former Fury victim Dillian Whyte has claimed it could be hard for ‘The Gyspy King’ to turn things around in the second fight given the toll previous battles may have taken him and mindful of the fact that Usyk’s confidence will be through the roof after winning the initial meeting.

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