Tyson Fury has promised to knock out Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch for the undisputed heavyweight championship after suffering his first career defeat to the Ukrainian fighter earlier this year. Usyk won a split decision on points when they first faced off in May, and the two will battle again for the WBA, WBC, and WBO titles in Riyadh on December 21.
Before his loss to Usyk, Fury had gone 35 professional fights without defeat, but the Englishman is confident he will bounce back, citing his history of knockouts in rematches. He famously knocked out Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora after going the distance in their initial bouts.
“I have to be a little bit more focused and smart to get the victory,” Fury said at a press conference in London on Wednesday. “In my rematches, I always end up knocking them out, so I’m envisioning something similar against Usyk.”
Usyk, who remains undefeated in his 22 professional fights, added a lighthearted moment to the event. Dressed in a black suit, red tie, and black leather gloves, the 37-year-old pulled out a photo of himself landing a punch on Fury and had the British heavyweight sign the image, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Despite Usyk’s playful jabs, Fury remained determined, emphasizing that he has learned from the defeat and is ready for redemption. “I believe it’s my time this time,” Fury stated. “All things that happen, positive or negative, are lessons, and we must learn from them.”
The rematch, unlike their first encounter, will not see all four major heavyweight belts on the line. Usyk vacated the IBF title in June, which was later claimed by Daniel Dubois after knocking out Anthony Joshua at Wembley last month.
