This is the characteristic of very big events. There is a before and there will be an after. Between the two, a unleashing of blows and passion is to be expected. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk set the bar at this height for their first face-to-face on May 18 in Riyadh. It was already considered the fight of the year. Even from the century for many. But the very particular setting of a revenge gives it an even greater dimension. This December 21, the Kingdom Arena will be the scene of a moment in the history of the Noble Art.
Boxing has seen many. The most striking were because they went beyond the framework of pure and simple sport. In Riyadh, we will not have to look for a political-historical context to exacerbate the rivalry between two boxers in a ring. The American Joe Louis and the German Max Schmeling faced each other during the rise of Nazism in Europe in the 1930s of the last century. Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier ignited the United States against a backdrop of racial segregation in the 1970s. These fights were remembered for what they represented beyond the ring.
“An unrivaled sporting dimension”
The rematch between Fury and Usyk does not fall into this framework. “Ali-Frazier, we know the stories, it's an unparalleled media dimensionexplains Jean-Philippe Lustyk, the voice of boxing for decades, and author of Great book of boxing*. There, there isn't that. Usyk is Ukrainian and we are touched by Ukraine. Opposite, Fury is a gypsy, the Gypsy King, the Mancunian. There are no side stories. But on a sporting level, he is in this dimension, it is obvious. This fight is immense. The unrivaled sporting dimension. It's a peak.“
Fury v Usyk
Credit: Getty Images
It is of course its sporting aspect that this revenge ticks all the boxes of a historic fight. There is already the stakes. Usyk became the first unified heavyweight champion in 25 years when he handed Fury his first loss in 36 fights via split decision seven months ago. He puts three of these four belts (WBO, WBA and WBC) back into play this Saturday in Riyadh, the Ukrainian having given up his IBF belt in June, recovered in September by Daniel Dubois thanks to his victory against Anthony Joshua by K .-O in the 5th round.
Fury, “the strongest”
There is also the opposition of styles which gives all its flavor to the greatest duels in boxing. Usyk has quite a size (1.91 m for 101 kg), but he looks a bit like David against Goliath when he faces Fury (2.06 m for 119 kg). “He is a complete boxer, who comes from light heavyweight, Olympic champion in light heavyweightrecalls Jean-Philippe Lustyk. This is the Ukrainian school, extraordinary skill, with tactical sense, adaptability. Mentally, they are monstrous, physically extremely well prepared. But he’s not the guy you’re into.”
The 37-year-old Ukrainian, despite his 22 victories in as many fights, does not have the aura of Fury. The 36-year-old Briton is also renowned for his escapades in the ring, but it is his boxing talent in relation to his build that gives him an exceptional dimension. “Tyson Fury, at the risk of shocking, is the strongest heavyweight I have seen in a ringsays Jean-Philippe Lustyk. He has crazy skill, flexibility of the trunk, he is able to move and box with his arms down. And he's super tough on evil. His enemy is himself, he is “up and down”, he is never safe from going off the road. But I think it’s the strongest I’ve ever seen.”
The top of a dense category like never before
That’s saying something. Fury had to dominate some of the fiercest competition to establish himself as the heavyweight king before falling from his pedestal against Usyk. Their fight is also a meeting at the top of a category which is overflowing with talent like rarely before. “The heavyweight category is super dense, super rich, like it hasn't been in a very long timeunderlines Jean-Philippe Lustyk. It's been 25 years since we last saw that.” “And there are others, even stronger, who will arrive“, predicts John Dovi, former French amateur boxing champion and consultant on Eurosport during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This ends up giving a unique dimension to this revenge. That Fury, always a winner in rematch so far, approaches it in the position of challenger makes it all the more exciting. But ultimately, the level reached during the first duel between the two men in terms of pure boxing was almost enough to establish this meeting as a historic summit on a purely sporting level. “It is in line with the greatest heavyweight fights in historyconcludes Jean-Philippe Lustyk. There are enormous stakes and expectations. It's colossal.“The promise is there. It is now up to Usyk and Fury to keep it.
*The great book of boxing, by Jean-Philippe Lustyk. New expanded edition. Editions Marabout
