The upcoming rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is one that holds great importance for boxing fans around the world.
Usyk won a split decision in their first clash in May 2024 to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. A rematch clause was inserted into that fight’s contract. Both men will step into the ring again in late December 2024. This clash will happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, once again. It has already got the boxing world talking.
But why is this looking to be one of the most important boxing matches in the sport’s history?
Huge Event For Boxing Betting
Unpacking the importance of this rematch involves looking at it from various angles. One factor to take into account is just how big the bout will be for boxing sports betting. This includes the number of bets that are likely to be placed on it.
If the first match is anything to go by, we should see not only ordinary punters flocking to back their pick. We should also expect celeb names getting involved. Rapper Drake, for example, was widely reported to have placed a bet on Fury to win the first clash to the tune of $565,000!
If these sorts of wagers are being made again on a fight that is already being billed as even more immense than the first, revenues taken by sportsbooks could be enormous.
If you plan to be betting on boxing matches like the Fury vs. Usyk rematch, you should always take care to sign up with fully regulated sportsbooks. You should also look for betting platforms that have competitive odds, a range of markets, and secure payment options. Luckster Sportsbook and Rhino.bet Sportsbook are good options to consider with this in mind.
Winner Will Not Be Undisputed Champion
This is perhaps one important factor to unpack from the upcoming Fury vs Usyk contest in December. Although Usyk became undisputed champion after the first bout, he won’t emerge with that title if he wins again. The same is also true for Fury, who won’t actually be undisputed champion if he wins.
It all comes down to Usyk choosing to not face his mandatory challenger for the IBF belt and vacating it as a result. With Brit Daniel Dubois installed as interim champ for now, it means whoever comes out on top in this rematch will not have the honor of being called undisputed champion.
For what it’s worth, comments from Fury’s manager Spencer Brown suggest that Tyson Fury himself isn’t concerned by this. Brown has been on record saying, “Tyson’s not really bothered about it. The last couple of weeks, he’s enjoying himself. He’s having a great time in his life with his kids, and he just wants to put boxing behind him. Does a belt bother him? No.”
Could Spark Change In How Fights Are Scored?
This is a potentially huge impact that Tyson Fury–Oleksandr Usyk 2 could have for the whole sport of boxing.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman is pushing for this bout to have six judges instead of the usual three. The aim of this is to lead to fairer decisions when fights go to points. This will hopefully eliminate controversies such as those that were seen at the pair’s first encounter.
Although the WBC has done this at one event in Mexico, putting this in place for one of the biggest fights ever could really help it take off. If this happens and the presence of six judges goes well, we could see it rolled out across boxing in years to come.
Sulaiman seems intent on this being the end goal. He commented recently that he would “campaign for the WBC fights to [have six judges for] those who are eligible, and we are going to start doing it”.
Key Event To Cement Pro Boxing’s Popularity
The last few years have seen traditional pro boxing struggle to keep the interest of younger fight fans. It has also struggled to starve off competition from YouTube boxing events or MMA tournaments. Fury vs Usyk 2 is the perfect way for boxing to re-establish itself and put YouTube boxers in their place.
There is lots of hype around the bout. This is key to helping boxing feel more exciting to fans who might have started to walk away. The presence of a big personality like Fury is very important in this regard. This helps to make it something that people want to get involved with. If this fight lives up to the billing it’s getting, it could go down as one of the best ever and reinvigorate the sport of boxing with it.
Key Bout For Both Fighters’ Records
This is also looking to be an important clash when you think about how it could impact the overall record of both Fury and Usyk.
Their initial fight in May was the first time Fury had lost in 36 bouts and this must have stung. The rematch will be key for him to avenge this blemish on his record and get back to his winning ways. The Gypsy King will certainly not want two consecutive losses on his record when he finally calls it a day.
Usyk has not lost any of his fights yet. He will be very keen to preserve this proud record when stepping in to face Fury again. The Ukrainian will certainly not want to spoil his record with a loss—but this is a possibility should his opponent win.
Most onlookers feel fairly sure that this situation makes a third clash highly likely if Fury takes the rematch. This would leave it at 1–1 in terms of wins between the two, and each fighter would be keen to win a decisive third fight.
Fury vs Usyk 2 Is Important In Many Ways
This is a contest that has not only caught the public’s imagination. It is also set to be important in a number of ways. This helps to give it even more intrigue and makes it even more interesting to follow.
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Featured Image: Mohammed Saad/Anadolu via Getty Images
