Oleksandr Usyk next fight: Tyson Fury rematch confirmed by Turki Alalshikh

Oleksandr Usyk’s next fight will be the highly anticipated rematch with Tyson Fury after Turki Alalshikh confirmed the contest will take place later this year.

Usyk was crowned as the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis (1999) after he won via split decision against Fury in May.

The pair had a rematch clause in the contract and now the man who holds the largest purse strings in boxing has given the green light to do it all over again.

Here is all we know so far about the Fury vs Usyk rematch.

Who is Oleksandr Usyk fighting next?

Turki Alalshikh has confirmed that Fury and Usyk will fight again on December 21, 2024.

The rematch will take place during Riyadh Season, seven months after the pair last went toe-to-toe in Saudi Arabia.

Usyk, who holds all the belts, has requested that he be allowed to keep the IBF title for his rematch with Tyson Fury on December 21, setting up another undisputed heavyweight title fight.

This comes after Daniel Dubois beat Filip Hrgovic to become the mandatory IBF challenger. He is set for a fight with Anthony Joshua in September this year, but the Ukrainian wants his rematch with Fury to be for all the titles once again.

If Hrgovic had won, that request could well have been turned down given that the Croatian had been waiting for two years for a crack at the belt. But now Dubois has beaten him, a six-month wait does not pale in comparison to Hrgovic’s purgatory.

How Fury vs Usyk unfolded

Oleksandr Usyk went toe-to-toe with Tyson Fury and emerged victorious as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

The Ukrainian star’s outfit was decked out to the nines as he made his way to the ring with a loud pop from the Saudi Arabian crowd.

Usyk entered the ring by stepping over the top rope, as the former cruiserweight champion kept a menacing stare while awaiting his challenger.

After Fury danced his way to the ring in typical ‘Gypsy King’ fashion, Michael Buffer introduced both fighters before referee Mark Nelson called for the opening bell.

Fury took control of the fight early by using his massive reach advantage, keeping Usyk at bay for much of the opening four rounds of the match.

However, the crafty southpaw began finding openings and landed a couple of brutal jabs that caused a mouse under Fury’s right eye and blood to fall from his nose.

In the ninth round, Usyk turned the tides, as the 37-year-old rocked Fury so bad that the ropes were the only thing to keep the 6-foot-9 fighter from plummeting to the ground.

Tyson was ultimately saved by the bell after answering the ten count. Although he rebounded nicely in the following rounds, Usyk didn’t let up. He continued picking apart the now-damaged Fury.

The fight went to the scorecards, which resulted in a controversial split decision. Ultimately, two judges saw it in Usyk’s favor, making him boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.

Anthony Joshua awaits the winner of Usyk vs Fury 2

While a rematch has now been confirmed, Anthony Joshua still expects to get the next crack at the belts.

First, AJ will fight the winner of Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic later in the year, but Fury’s promoter has already said that Joshua will fight the winner of the rematch in 2025.

Joshua was in attendance, alongside footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, and he refused to pick the Fury vs Usyk match. Instead, saying, “Good luck to both of them.”

Boxing fans will remember that Joshua and Usyk have already shared the squared circle twice before, with the Ukrainian taking both fights by decision.

Oleksandr Usyk’s professional boxing record

Usyk remains undefeated at 22-0 following his impressive victory against Fury in a 12-round classic.

It looked as though Usyk might finish Fury in the ninth round and notch the 15th knockout victory of the Ukrainian’s career.

Alas, he would have to settle for a split-decision win on the scorecards. Usyk will look to knock Fury out and end any doubt in the rematch later this year.