Christmas comes early for boxing fans on Saturday night as Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury return after their May thriller.

In the first undisputed heavyweight title fight in 25 years, the two undefeated champions faced off to see who is truly the best from a very good era for the glamor division, and it did not disappoint, as they served a classic in Saudi Arabia.

After 12 exciting rounds, it was Usyk (22-0) who took home the victory via split decision, but it was a very close fight, and I feel lucky that we get to see them do it again in Riyadh this weekend.

As with all major competitions, their first meeting had its ups and downs, with both men enjoying success and having to go through some very difficult times.

Although Fury (34-1-1) had all the physical advantages, it was Usyk who took center stage from the first bell and he was the aggressor, as Fury looked to box behind his jab. The first three rounds were close, but Fury began to have noticeable success in the fourth stanza and began to clock the smaller man coming.

This trend continued over the next two sessions, as Fury held his feet more and found a home for his heavier shots. This was particularly evident in the sixth round, when Fury rocked Usyk with beautiful uppercuts and the Briton looked firmly in control at the mid-round mark. It appears Fury has found his range and has trained Usyk.

However, like all great champions, Usyk produced an excellent response and, after finishing the seventh round well, he started the eighth very quickly and began to assert his dominance in emphatic fashion. As Fury slowed down and fatigue set in, Usyk shifted into high gear and did damage with his power shots from the southpaw stance.

Then came the big moment of the fight. With Fury’s nose bleeding and his attacks now much less threatening, he was punished for righting himself with a huge left hand counter late in the ninth and, suddenly, found himself in a world of problems. The “Gypsy King” teetered on the edge of his throne, as he stumbled around the ring in a daze for what seemed like an eternity while Usyk pursued him in an attempt to deliver the finishing blow.

The Ukrainian found the target with a few more shots, but Fury still wouldn’t go down, and referee Mark Nelson could easily have abandoned the fight when he gave the Morecambe man a standing count for was held by the ropes. If there was more time left in the round, then Usyk might have gotten the stoppage, but the bell came to Fury’s rescue as the standing count ended, and he staggered back to his corner.

Usyk took the 10th and 11th as his opponent looked to clear his head, but it was through his incredible recovery power that Fury bounced back to win the final round on all three judges’ scorecards.

After a tense wait, Fury and Usyk each received a 114-113 verdict, with the deciding judge scoring it 115-112 in the latter’s favor and his hand being raised after a dramatic fight for the ages. So Usyk’s 10-8 in the ninth round ultimately won him the fight and, although it was clearly close, very few people disputed the outcome.

Fury was slight favorite seven months ago, but the roles have been reversed after this first defeat of his career, as he is available at 5/4 this time and Usyk a better price at 5/6. However, there is very little chance and, like last time, there is every chance that this will also be the case on the scorecards.

Despite 36 minutes of evidence to analyze, there are as many questions before the return as there were the first time. To begin with, who learned the most from the first battle? And who can make the necessary adjustments?

Apparently Fury didn’t have the smoothest preparations earlier this year. After a bad cut in the fight forced the fight to be postponed, his damaged eye didn’t have too much time to heal before the quick three-month turnaround for May and Fury this week expressed his lack of combat which hinders his training. . Additionally, it was later revealed that his wife, Paris, had suffered a miscarriage in the week leading up to the first fight and we don’t know how that affected Fury.

A potentially better camp could bring some improvement to Fury, and he showed us all the plans on how he can beat Usyk in the mid rounds. He was most successful when he was able to control the distance with his long left hand, hold the center of the ring and be the aggressor. During this period, he caught Usyk with damaging shots and went to the body very well. If he can implement and maintain these tactics, then Fury can get revenge and set up a historic trilogy fight.

However, it was not by chance or lack of preparation that Fury got so tired that night. There’s a familiar pattern to Usyk’s fights, as he makes his opponents work harder than they’d like at first before stepping on the gas and dominating the second half of the fight. Fury has always done well through 12 rounds, but no heavyweight has a motor like Usyk and that was evident when he shifted into high gear when Fury started to slow down. His ability to stand in range, slip punches, and pivot around the target tempts his enemies into throwing shots when they would normally be looking for a break, which pays off late.

Even in rounds that Usyk was losing, Fury was forced to fight at a pace he wasn’t comfortable with and this became evident after the halfway point. Fury became less mobile, his punches lost their snap and his jab became lazy – all of which was punished by Usyk’s quick hands and sniper accuracy.

Another question to consider is: In a fight that was damaging and deadly to both, who came out worse?

Usyk was tagged and took plenty of punishment, but not as much as Fury, who was dangerously close to being stopped as he swung around the ring in the final 30 seconds of that ninth round. Even though he was down multiple times, it was shocking to see Fury in so much trouble and that image is hard to shake when trying to solve the conundrum of this rematch.

This could have been a sign of him resisting punches or that Father Time was catching up with him – or both. As amazing as his comeback is after a huge weight gain, it shortens careers and there have been some hints that he might be on a bit of a slide now. After less than vintage performances against Dillian Whyte (TKO6) and Derek Chisora ​​(TKO10) in 2022, he was horrible in underestimating MMA fighter Francis Ngannou, when he was dropped and left. escaped with a razor-thin decision last year.

Add all that to his near capitulation against Usyk and it paints a picture of a man whose lifestyle may be catching up with him a little now.

Although Usyk is a year older at 37, he has been a consummate professional throughout his career and hasn’t taken as much punishment as Fury, so he looks the fresher of the two veterans.

Weighing 262 pounds last time out, Fury was his lightest in over four years and is rumored to be heavier for the return. This could mean a more aggressive version of Fury, as we saw in Deontay Wilder’s rematch when he beat the American in seven one-sided rounds, but Usyk is not Wilder and he’s on another planet in terms of skills.

A heavier Fury could mean a more offensive approach, but also a less mobile Fury and that could cause him problems against Usyk. The latter’s footwork is something you don’t see at heavyweights and, with hands as quick as his feet, he attacks from all sorts of angles. His incessant movements, feints, and attack level changes force his opponents to constantly reset and are a nightmare to fight.

The smaller man proved to be a first-time puncher, and Usyk now knows he can hurt his man, while a more aggressive Fury can also fancy his chances of doing damage. Despite this, I still think he will probably still go the distance and it is at 5/6 that we hear the final bell. When both men know each other well and know what they’re capable of, it can make for a trickier affair, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that play out here.

I gave a tip USYK WILL WIN BY DECISION has 9/4 in May and I support him to repeat the dose in the rematch, at the same price.

CLICK HERE to back Usyk by decision with Sky Bet

Everyone thinks Fury will be better the second time around, but Usyk is an extremely smart fighter, and I expect him to be better too, with 12 sets of Fury in his arsenal. Additionally, while Fury has shown signs of a potential decline, Usyk seems to be improving instead.

In addition to winning Olympic gold, Usyk has now achieved undisputed champion status at heavyweight and cruiserweight. The extremely likeable Ukrainian is a generational talent and, while I like Fury, I have a hard time taking on the favorite here.

All four belts may not be on the line this time around, thanks to the IBF removing Usyk, but the stakes are just as high with their legacy on the line, especially for Fury. Both men will be ready to give it their all and the fans should be in for a treat again, but I think the champ can keep his belts, even if it’s just once again.

Published at 1:50 p.m. GMT on 12/20/24

What time is Usyk vs. Fury 2?

Timings in boxing are always fluid, depending on which undercard fights go the distance etc., but the aim is for Usyk vs Fury 2 to start around 10pm UK time (22:00 GMT).

The undercard begins at 6 p.m. (6:00 p.m.).

How can I watch the fight?

The fight and full undercard will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Box Office, TNT Sports Box Office and DAZN pay-per-view.

BBC Radio 5 Live will also broadcast live commentary, while Sky Sports, TNT and DAZN are expected to provide text commentary.

What fights are on the undercard?

• Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 – WBC, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles
• Serhii Bohachuk vs. Ishmael Davis – super welterweight
• Moses Itauma vs. Demsey McKean – heavyweight
• Johnny Fisher vs. David Allen – heavyweight
• Peter McGrail vs Rhys Edwards – super bantamweight
• Isaac Lowe vs. Lee McGregor – featherweight
• Daniel Lapin vs. Dylan Colin – light heavyweight
• Andrii Novytskyi vs. Edgar Ramirez – heavyweight
• Mohammed Alakel vs. Joshua Ocampo – super featherweight

Tale of the Gang: Usyk vs. Fury 2

Oleksandr Usyk’s track record and key stats

• Age: 37
• Height: 6 feet 3 inches
• Reach: 85 inches
• Professional fights: 22
• Save: 22-0 (14 KOs)

Tyson Fury record and key stats

• Age: 36
• Height: 6 feet 9 inches
• Reach: 78 inches
• Professional fights: 36
• Save: 34-1-1 (24 KOs)

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