Oleksandr Usyk will fight in July or August 2025 to defend his unified heavyweight title. He beat former WBC champion Tyson Fury by 12-round unanimous decision in their rematch last Saturday night in Riyadh.
The fight was easier for Usyk than their previous bout due to Fury opting to move up to 281 pounds and being too heavy to do much of anything in the fight.
Tyson looked inside Poor physical appearance As if he made a token effort in training camp in preparation for the rematch. It was embarrassing to watch, and must have been disappointing for his fans. You can tell by looking at Fury’s midsection that he was eating well during camp.
Who’s next?
Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, told Boxingscene that Oleksandr (23-0, 14 KO) will rest until next summer. There is no information on who Usyk may face next. These interesting options are available to Usyk to file a voluntary defense:
– I came to Kabyle
– Moses Itauma
– Fabio Wardley
-Martin Bacoli
British fans are speaking out It will hurt After defeating player Dempsey McCain last Saturday night. If Itauma’s promoter believes in him, he should test his faith by pitting him against Usyk while he’s still in the game. If they wait, Usyk will retire, and Itauma will be stuck fighting without names.
The timing could mean that a unification bout against IBF champion Daniel Dubois is not an option in Usyk’s next fight. Dubois defends his belt against Joseph Parker on February 22, and it will be difficult for him to return to camp to start training for a bout 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 time to prepare for Usyk’s style. He can’t do that with a short practice session during training camp.
If Dubois rushes into the fight against the talented Ukrainian, he may live to regret it and suffer another knockout loss as happened in their first fight last year on August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland. Usyk boxed Dubois through eight rounds and then poured him over in the ninth to knock out the tired giant.
Like the first fight, it wasn’t a punishing fight for Usyk, as he outmaneuvered Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs), taking advantage of his limited mobility to outmaneuver him with combinations.
It showed that the Gypsy King has lost a lot of his game over the past four years, and his three fights against “The Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder have worn him down.
