Fury vs. Usyk rematch hides the future of the heavyweight division
Fury fell to Usyk by a split decision in the fight for the undisputed heavyweight title in May. A rematch is highly anticipated between the two. The heavyweight boxing division is currently at a standstill as everyone eagerly awaits the results of the Usyk vs. Fury rematch. After Daniel Dubois won Anthony Joshua, there is no scheduled heavyweight bout for any of the other leading fighters. We’ll take a closer look at what the situation is now.
The division has been radically changed after years with only three heavyweights. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury were the other two dominant champions alongside Joshua. Wilder is perhaps not in the best shape of his life. Joshua and Fury have both lost their last fights. But they are still fighting to remain at the boxing top.
IBF championship’ fight
After Usyk vacated the IBF title, Dubois became the interim IBF champion, until he defeated Joshua and established himself. Both British fighters Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois bring contrasting styles and considerable power, which turned a fight into an intriguing clash of strategies. Considering his power, athleticism, and technical boxing ability, few expected such an irreversible defeat from AJ.
Dubois became one of the true boxing elites after winning the IBF Heavyweight Championship. 27-year-old boxer called fresh blood among the 35-year-olds who have been around for a long time.
Daniel Dubois
Now the IBF belt holder plans to take the rest of the year off after four fights in 13 months. Then Dubois would prefer to fight Usyk again after his dramatic loss in Poland the previous year. He’ll be hoping that his claim to face the Usyk/Fury winner, regardless of the result, will be sufficient.
Frank Warren, the promoter, says that he’s happy to put Dubois against Usyk – or whoever wins. If Fury wins, it would mean that he could face Usyk in a third, deciding match or even a mouthwatering British-only fight against Dubois. Joshua may target the loser of Usyk Fury while Dubois is likely to be focusing on the winner.
Anthony Joshua
Joshua still has one scheduled fight left on his contract with Riyadh season that he must honour. Don’t count him out, as he is still one of the top-paid fighters. Forbes has released its latest list of top-paid athletes, and Joshua is the second highest-paid boxer; he was 16th on the list, earning $83 Million for the entire year.
Fury could still face Joshua in 2025 weather if Fury fails to beat Usyk. Fury vs. Joshua is a fight that generates more interest and cash than any others in this division. But AJ’s promoter Hearn is now focusing on a rematch against Dubois, which has become his number one priority. He stated that Dubois would use his rematch clause for sure.
What next for Usyk and Fury?
A victory for Fury could trigger a final third fight. In boxing, a trilogy is often triggered when the first two fights between opponents are split or closely contested, creating an unfinished rivalry in the eyes of fans and promoters. If Fury wins the rematch, especially if the result is either highly competitive or controversial, the demand for a third fight would grow.
Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk was the undisputed cruiserweight champion before he became undisputed in heavyweight. Everyone is fascinated to see how exciting his next clashes will be. However, Usik has his own plan to go back to cruiserweight to get undisputed in the division for a second time. The Ukrainian explained it as follows: “Maybe, it is my plan because when I start to prepare for my training camp [as a heavyweight], I have to eat all the time. For me, it’s hard, and I don’t like it. Three times [per day]: Water, protein, bananas. it’s a lot of food.” Egis Klimas, Usyk’s manager, confirmed that he’ll possibly go back to cruiserweight.
Tyson Fury
Fury was unbeaten and the best heavyweight until his loss to Usyk. Gypsy King has the skills to defeat Usyk but it will take a lot of training. At the same time, Tyson Fury is fully focused on winning this bout. Fury vs. Usyk rematch hides the future of the heavyweight division. “And I relish it, the chance to come back and redeem myself. Get up! December 21st is all me. Undisputed here we come” – he said.
Conclusion
The heavyweight division has been at its peak, and the results of key matches have shaped the boxing seasons. Dubois won a major IBF title. Usyk’s plans to return to cruiserweight may open up the heavyweight division to new challengers. The upcoming rematch of Fury and Usyk could further change the dynamics in the heavyweight division.
