Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will once again step into the ring to contest the undisputed world heavyweight championship, with the fighters set for a Dec. 21 rematch.
Usyk won their first meeting earlier this month by split decision, adding the WBC title to his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles to become the first undisputed champion in boxing's glamour division in over two decades. A rematch clause was included so the duo would always be running it back no matter who came out on top, and on Wednesday promoter Frank Warren addressed the announcement that the fight will take place four days prior to Christmas.
"It was an unbelievable fight, the first one. The biggest fight of the 21st century," Warren said. "An unbelievable heavyweight fight. Nothing in it. Both guys, they never left anything in the ring. They both [gave] their all.
"And they want to dance again so that's gonna happen."
While there was speculation prior to the first fight that the rematch would occur in September or October, Warren explained the reasoning behind waiting until late December and why the hiatus could produce a better fight.
"It's been pushed back because I think one of them, not Tyson but Usyk, I understand, sustained an injury which is the reason he won't be fit before then," he said. "But that's a perfect date for it. Give them both time to recuperate from a very, very, very tough fight and hopefully, we'll see the same again."
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