Oleksandr Usyk will fight in July or August 2025 to defend his unified heavyweight title. He beat former WBC champion Tyson Fury by a 12-round unanimous decision in their rematch last Saturday night in Riyadh.
The fight was an easier one for Usyk than their previous match due to Fury choosing to bulk up 281 lbs and being too heavy to do much of anything in the fight.
Tyson looked in poor physical shape as if he’d put in a token effort in training camp preparing for the rematch. It was embarrassing to watch, and it had to have been disappointing for his fans. You could tell from looking at Fury’s midsection that he’d eaten well during camp.
Who’s Next?
Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, told Boxingscene that Oleksander (23-0, 14 KOs) will rest until next summer. There’s no word about who Usyk could face next. These interesting options for Usyk to make a voluntary defense:
– Agit Kabayel
– Moses Itauma
– Fabio Wardley
– Martin Bakole
British fans are talking up Itauma after his win over journeyman Demsey McKean last Saturday night. If Itauma’s promoter believes in him, he should put his faith to the test by matching him against Usyk while he’s still in the game. If they wait, Usyk will retire, and Itauma will be stuck fighting no names.
The timing could mean that a unification match against IBF champion Daniel Dubois isn’t an option for Usyk’s next fight. Dubois is defending his belt against Joseph Parker on February 22nd, and it would be a fast turnaround for him to return to camp to begin training for a match against Usyk in July or August.
The 27-year-old Dubois is young enough to get back in the ring quickly, but he won’t be at his best because it will take him time to prepare for Usyk’s style. He can’t do it with a short cram session during training camp.
If Dubois rushes into the fight against the talented Ukrainian, he could live to regret it and suffer another knockout loss like in their first fight last year on August 26th in Wroclaw, Poland. Usyk boxed Dubois through eight rounds and then poured it on in the ninth round to knock out the tired giant.
Like the first one, it wasn’t a punishing fight for Usyk, as he outsmarted Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs), taking advantage of his limited mobility to work him over with combinations.
He showed that the Gypsy King has lost a lot from his game over the last four years, worn down from his three battles against ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder.
2024-12-28 19:10:56
