Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury Claims First Fight Was Ruined by Cut, Promises a Clean Victory against Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury Claims First Fight Was Ruined by Cut, Promises a Clean Victory against Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury is feeling as confident as ever ahead of his highly anticipated rematch against Oleksandr Usyk. In May,…

Tyson Fury is feeling as confident as ever ahead of his highly anticipated rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.

In May, ‘The Gypsy King’ came up short against Usyk in Saudi Arabia, suffering a split-decision loss — the first defeat of his illustrious career. On December 21, he’ll have his chance to even the series and claim the WBA, WBO, and WBC heavyweight world titles in Riyadh.

Fury appeared to have things well in hand during the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds of their first meeting, but things took a massive swing in the eighth when Usyk caught Fury on the nose with a booming blow. In the next round, the Ukrainian sent Fury crashing to the canvas and had him on wobbly legs.

Fury recovered — as he often does — and even went on to win the 12th round, but by then it was too little too late.

Tyson Fury promises to ‘rise like a phoenix’ in usyk rematch

Speaking with TNT Sports ahead of Saturday’s sequel scrap in Riyadh, Fury insists that the cut he suffered during the fight was what ultimately cost him the contest — something he refuses to let happen a second time.

“I ain’t got a cut this time,” Fury said. “I’m nursing. I’ve never been as confident in my life as I am smashing his face in. Even at 36, when people think he’s finished, he will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. I’m going to destroy this f*cker on Saturday night. You watch. Watch me go to work on Saturday night. You watch it. I beat him last time nursing a massive cut.”

In their first encounter, Usyk outlanded Fury 170-157 in total punches; the 170 landed punches were the most by any Fury opponent.

Usyk’s win also made him just the third fighter in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in two divisions, joining Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Naoya Inoue.

Oleksandr Usyk Will Not Stay At Heavyweight After Tyson Fury Victory, Claims Ukrainian Athlete

Oleksandr Usyk’s remarkable run at heavyweight may be coming to an end, as the Ukrainian superstar reportedly plans to…

Oleksandr Usyk’s remarkable run at heavyweight may be coming to an end, as the Ukrainian superstar reportedly plans to leave the division following his victory over Tyson Fury. The news comes as Usyk prepares for a highly anticipated rematch against Fury later this week.

Oleksandr Usyk, 37, has enjoyed a storied career across multiple weight classes. After dominating the cruiserweight division and becoming the first undisputed champion in the four-belt era, he moved up to heavyweight in 2019. In just a few years, Usyk conquered the division, defeating Anthony Joshua twice and claiming the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. However, it was his split-decision victory over Tyson Fury in May 2024 that truly solidified his place in history.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury

That win made Usyk the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000, as well as the first fighter to achieve undisputed status in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions in the four-belt era. The contest saw Usyk outbox Fury and nearly stop him in the ninth round.

In an interview, he simply stated:

“I’m try Cruiserweight again … Yeah I’m fine.”

Despite his success, Usyk has indicated that he does not intend to remain at heavyweight long-term. At 37, Usyk may be looking to preserve his legacy without taking on unnecessary risks in a division known for its punishing physical demands.

The rematch with Fury, set for December 21, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be a critical moment for both fighters. Fury, who suffered the first loss of his professional career in their initial meeting, will be determined to avenge his defeat. For Usyk, the bout could serve as a farewell to the heavyweight ranks, where he has already etched his name among the greats.

The boxing world now awaits December’s rematch, where Usyk will look to reaffirm his dominance before potentially stepping away from the heavyweight stage. For fans, it’s a chance to witness the sport’s greats in action once more.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 Historic $190M Purse Set for Riyadh Showdown

According to reports for Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury 2, the total purse for this heavyweight clash is reported…

According to reports for Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury 2, the total purse for this heavyweight clash is reported to be a staggering $190 million, which is significantly higher than their first encounter. This heavyweight boxing title clash is set for December 21, 2024, live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 – $190,000,000

This rematch comes after Usyk’s victory over Fury in their first fight on May 18, where he claimed the undisputed heavyweight title in a thrilling split decision. The success of their initial bout, which had a combined purse of around $150 million, has led to even greater financial stakes for the rematch.

The distribution of the $190 million purse is expected to favor Usyk this time. As the new Undisputed champion, Usyk is set to receive the larger share. Some reports suggest that the split could be 60% for Usyk and 40% for Tyson Fury, which would mean Usyk could potentially earn around $114 million for the fight.

In their first meeting, the fight was closely contested and went the full 12 rounds. Usyk started strong, but Fury found his rhythm in the middle rounds. The turning point came in the ninth round when Usyk hurt Fury badly and scored a knockdown. Fury managed to survive, but he struggled in the final rounds. In the end, Usyk won by split decision. Two judges scored the fight in his favor (115-112 and 114-113), while one judge had it for Tyson Fury (114-113).

This victory made Usyk the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000, as he added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF, and WBO belts.

The increase in the fight purse reflects the immense popularity and anticipation surrounding this rematch. The $190 million purse sets a new benchmark for rematch fight purses.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 will have a whopping, record breaking $190 million dollar purse split for their fight. pic.twitter.com/jyhNI9Ezm9

— Timothy Wheaton MMA (@TimWheatonMMA) December 1, 2024

Oleksandr Usyk earns hard fought split decision win over Tyson Fury in undisputed title fight

Exclusive | Zhilei Zhang Picks Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury Winner and is Ready to Face Both ‘Without Hesitation’

Chinese boxing star Zhilei Zhang will have a close eye on next month’s highly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk…

Chinese boxing star Zhilei Zhang will have a close eye on next month’s highly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

In May, Usyk scored a split decision victory over ‘The Gypsy King’ in Saudi Arabia to become boxing’s first unified heavyweight world champion in more than two decades. On Saturday, December 21, they’ll run it back in what will likely be one of the biggest rematches in the history of the sport.

Hoping to face the winner is the WBO’s No. 2 ranked heavyweight contender, Zhilei Zhang. Winning a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Zhilei has amassed an impressive 27-2 record as a pro and is coming off perhaps his biggest win yet — a fifth-round TKO against former WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder.

In an exclusive interview with LowKick MMA courtesy of AceOdds.com, Zhilei revealed who he believes will come out on top when Usyk and Fury run back their critically acclaimed scrap this holiday season.

“I hope Usyk wins because I’m a fan of his style,” he said. “I really like the way he boxes, but let’s see if Tyson Fury makes his adjustments.”

Zhilei Zhang is ready to fight either Usyk or Fury ‘without hesitation’

As for who he’d rather face, it makes no difference to Zhilei.

“Yeah, of course, I’ll do it now,” he said when asked about facing the winner. “Without hesitation.”

Zhilei scored a sixth-round TKO against Joe Joyce in April 2023 to win the interim WBO heavyweight title. He then successfully defended the belt in a rematch with Joyce five months later before surrendering the gold to Joseph Parker in March via a majority decision. He has since bounced back with his dominant showing against Wilder — a victory that has all but guaranteed him a shot at the winner of Usyk vs. Fury 2.

‘Like a Baseball Bat’ Oleksandr Usyk Names Hardest Hitter He’s Battled

The heavyweight boxing king Oleksandr Usyk is now on top of the world after defeating Tyson Fury in May…

The heavyweight boxing king Oleksandr Usyk is now on top of the world after defeating Tyson Fury in May to add the WBC belt to his esteemed collection.

The fight with Fury was a brutal war. Things went back and forth, and both men suffered each other’s wrath. Things looked pretty close heading into the ninth round, where Usyk landed a knockdown on Fury that would later prove highly pivotal on the judges’ scorecards.

After the battle, Usyk held the WBC, IBF, WBA, and WBO belts and was truly on top of the heavyweight boxing world. Unfortunately, Oleksandr Usyk has since had to relinquish his IBF title, which Daniel Dubois now holds.

Dubois is also a former victim of the Ukrainian heavyweight phenom. The two fought back in 2023, and Usyk scored a beautiful knockout over his opponent.

Oleksandr Usyk opens up about which of his opponents hit the hardest

While speaking with the Three Knockdown Rule podcast, Usyk spoke on his many trials as a boxer. He told the hosts how the Tyson Fury fight was definitely his toughest so far, but did mention that Fury wasn’t the hardest hitter that he has ever faced. In fact, Derek Chisora holds that honor.

“Toughest fight?” Usyk said (H/T Seconds Out). “Yes, it was [Fury]. Biggest punch – no. Because Derek Chisora, very tough guy. [A punch landed] on the gloves, and I said: ‘Oh my God.’ Like a baseball bat.”

Oleksandr Usyk fought Chisora in 2020. It was just his second fight in the banner division after deciding to move up from cruiserweight. Usyk ultimately won via points, but he can probably still close his eyes and imagine Chisora’s fearsome power.

Were you surprised by Usyk’s answer, and do you think it would change if he fought somebody like a Deontay Wilder or Francis Ngannou?

Mike Tyson’s Top 5 Boxing Picks Before His Comeback: Who Made the Cut?

Before making his long-awaited return to the ring on November 15, legendary pugilist ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson revealed his five…

Before making his long-awaited return to the ring on November 15, legendary pugilist ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson revealed his five favorite boxers from today’s crop of world-class talent.

Emanating from the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the former undisputed heavyweight world champion will compete in his first professional boxing bout in nearly 20 years when he meets YouTube sensation Jake Paul.

Before making the most anticipated comeback in the sport’s history, Tyson appeared on the Pound-4-Pound podcast with former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo to preview his showdown with ‘The Problem Child.’ Along the way, Tyson revealed who he considers to be the five best boxers in the business today.

“[David] Benavidez, ‘Tank’ [Gervonta Davis], Shakur [Stevenson] when he’s got that kind of guy, like if ‘Tank’ was fighting him. Something like that. Who else? Of course we’ve got [Terence] ‘Bud’ Crawford, and listen, I like [Errol] Spence Jr. too. I think Spence Jr. could come back and still get his title back. I really think so, I think Spence Jr. is an underrated fighter.”

Mike Tyson weighs in on usyk vs. fury 2

Interestingly, Tyson left Oleksandr Usyk off the list. In May, the Ukrainian became the first unified heavyweight titleholder in more than two decades when he defeated Tyson Fury via split decision in Saudi Arabia.

Usyk and Fury will run it back on December 21 in what may very well be the biggest rematch of the decade. Offering his take on the sequel scrap last month, Tyson suggested that ‘The Gypsy King’ played around a little too much the first time around.

“Hey, listen, Usyk surprised everybody. I think Tyson Fury played around too much,” ‘Iron’ said while speaking with Talksport. “I think he needs to be taking fights serious and hopefully he’ll get a different result.”