Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to face off again on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The rematch will see three of the four major heavyweight belts up for grabs.
Their first clash in May ended with Usyk winning by split decision, taking Fury's WBC title. The fight was the first undisputed heavyweight bout in over 20 years. Usyk started strong, but Fury gained ground in the middle rounds with powerful uppercuts. The ninth round saw Usyk nearly finish Fury, who was on wobbly legs. Usyk closed out the fight strongly to secure the win.
Derek Chisora, who's fought both men, shared his thoughts on the rematch with TalkSPORT Boxing. He believes Fury wasn't at his best in the first fight.
"Tyson was not 100 per cent. He had a massive cut and didn't want to get fined for missing the fight. He didn't spar as desired and was under-prepared. He lacked confidence and mucked around for the first four or five rounds."
Chisora also criticized Fury's corner, saying there were too many voices with SugarHill Steward, Andy Lee, and John Fury all giving input. He noted they seemed panicked as they knew they were losing the fight.
The former heavyweight contender thinks Usyk will win the rematch by stoppage. He also suggested Fury's relationship with trainer SugarHill Steward might be cooling off.
"Their relationship is kind of dying down. Fury wasn't listening to SugarHill or his dad during the previous fight."
Chisora's insight comes from personal experience. He fought Fury in a one-sided affair about two years ago and gave Usyk a tough test in his heavyweight debut back in 2020.
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The rematch is now official for December 21 in Saudi Arabia. Boxing fans will be eager to see if Fury can bounce back or if Usyk will cement his place at the top of the heavyweight division.