Tyson Fury is ready to return to the ring with a sharper focus and more aggressive approach as he prepares for his heavyweight championship rematch against Oleksandr Usyk on December 21. After suffering a split decision loss to Usyk in May, Fury is determined to leave no room for doubt this time.
The two fighters will meet again in Saudi Arabia, where Usyk made history earlier this year by becoming boxing‘s first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years. While Fury activated his right to a rematch shortly after his first loss, only three of the four major titles will be up for grabs in the upcoming fight due to the IBF stripping Usyk of its belt for not facing mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
Fury, who holds a career record of 34-1-1, has a perfect 5-0 record in rematches, with all victories coming by stoppage. This includes two knockouts of Deontay Wilder after a controversial draw in their first bout, marking the only time in Fury’s career he has not walked away with a win.
Reflecting on the first bout with Usyk (22-0), Fury doesn’t feel the need to make drastic changes to his strategy. He plans to stick to what worked while eliminating some of the distractions that contributed to his first loss.
“I’ll throw more this time, keep hitting him in the face more often than I did last time,” Fury explained. “I’ll box smart, box clever, and if I catch him, get him out of there.”
While Fury’s penchant for showmanship was evident in their first meeting—where he amused himself with playful antics in the ring—he admits it may have taken away from his focus. The undefeated heavyweight admits that less clowning around and more concentration on the task at hand will be key to his success this time.
“I did more clowning than anybody in any high-level fight’s ever done,” Fury said. “It’s taken my focus away as well, so maybe a little less clowning and more focus on the actual victory. I was messing around too much in there.”
Despite the entertainment aspect of Fury’s performance, the turning point in the fight came when Usyk capitalized on a fatigued Fury and landed a left hand that hurt him. Usyk followed up with a barrage of shots that led to a knockdown, even though Fury remained on his feet.
Fury, who towers at 6-foot-9 and usually enjoys a significant size advantage, didn’t expect to be hurt by Usyk, a man who weighs about 40 pounds less than him. However, he takes responsibility for allowing the punch to land.
“It wasn’t so much what he did right. It was me more fatigued than anything else, getting lackadaisical,” Fury admitted. “Throwing punches while I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing. It wasn’t for what he did was so great, it’s what I did that was a mistake really.”
At 36 years old, Fury acknowledges that his career has taken a toll on his body. He has been dropped multiple times in recent years, including four times by Wilder and once by MMA fighter Francis Ngannou in a split decision victory. Fury admits that he is no longer the same fighter who defeated Wladimir Klitschko to claim the title back in 2015.
“I’m not the same guy I was at 21 or 22, but who is at that age?” Fury reflected. “Nobody really. So yeah, all of those fights have a big effect on human beings.”
Fury also recognizes the challenges that come with aging in the sport, drawing comparisons to legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Mike Tyson, all of whom faced difficulties in later years.
“I remember when I was a young guy in my 20s and I said to Vladimir Klitschko, ‘Look at you, you’re an old man.’ He was 37. I said, ‘You’re old.’ Now I’m in that position, I’m in that boat.”
With his rematch with Usyk on the horizon, Fury is fully aware that some fighters never recover from a loss, but he’s determined to prove that he’s still capable of winning at the highest level.
“Sometimes when fighters lose a fight, they can never win another one when that bubble’s been burst,” Fury said. “They’re never the same. I’ve seen it many times.”
As for Fury, he’s ready to prove himself once again when they step into the ring.
“We’ll find out Saturday night, won’t we?” he said.
