Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are not going anywhere as the two boxers will be busier in the next months after Saudi Arabian organizers finally confirmed a rematch will happen between the two.
The fight will be a follow-up to their first showdown in which Usyk handed Fury the firs-ever defeat in his career via a split decision.
The catch is that, as stated in the rematch clause, the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk rematch will not take place in October.
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Instead, it will take place on December 21.
Promoters said moving the schedule is meant to allow both fighters to recuperate from their injuries fully.
It will be staged in Saudi Arabia, just like the first match, but the specific venue has yet to be announced.
Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh said the rematch would be one of the most historic boxing fights in history.
"The rematch between the Undisputed Champion Oleksandr Usyk and the Champion Tyson Fury is now scheduled on December 21, 2024, during Riyadh Season...The world will watch another historical fight again...Our commitment to boxing fans continues...We hope you enjoy it...," Alalshikh proudly announced on X.
Others think it will be a holiday event because the date is close to Christmas, but in the predominantly Muslim country, it is actually the Riyadh Season.
Riyadh Season is an entertainment festival that was started and funded by the Saudi Arabian government in 2019. The event currently has 10 Guinness World Record certifications.
Top sports personalities either engage in tournaments and games or visit the country for several activities.
The Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk rematch is expected to be a headliner for the 2024 edition of the festival.
Usyk has a special request
Based on IBF rules, Usyk is supposed to lose one of the four belts before the rematch.
He will lose the IBF belt for not fighting a mandatory fighter.
The Ukrainian fighter requested an "exception" to keep the belt for a time. The IBF said it would discuss the request with its "board of directors" before deciding.
If his request is not granted, his supposed challenger Filip Hrgović and Daniel Dubois will fight for the IBF title.
Fury's camp optimistic about the rematch
Usyk should be more focused on his upcoming fight with Fury right now.
The Gypsy King keeps insisting that he won the fight and is ready to prove it with a return bout.
His promoter, Frank Warren, recently said the first match could have gone either way.
"I think he can, he believes he can," Warren told Sky Sports.
"It was a fight of two halves, Tyson knows what he has to do and I'm sure Usyk does. Both of those guys were in an absolute war, that has taken a lot out of both of them. It will be interesting to see when it does happen who it has impacted the most."
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