On May 18, 2024, Oleksandr Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion for almost a quarter of a century. The Ukrainian hero’s majority decision triumph over the previously unbeaten Tyson Fury secured him every authentic world title belt available.
WATCH: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2, live on DAZN
So, when the pair meet in a direct rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on December 21, the prize will be the same, right? Wrong!
As has been the case for decades, boxing is replete with politics, so nothing is ever easy. Unlike in their first fight, Fury and Usyk will not contest the undisputed championship in the sequel, which is a point of contention for many boxing historians. Instead, the unified heavyweight title will be at stake.
While this fight transcends championship belts and trinkets. Usyk and Fury are locked in a battle for heavyweight supremacy, with the winner joining the likes of Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes and Lennox Lewis as the finest big men of their respective generations.
Should Usyk prevail, the mission is complete. If Fury wins, we could be treated to a trilogy for the ages. But why won’t the winner of this fight hold every belt?
Why is Usyk vs. Fury 2 not for the undisputed heavyweight championship?
As champion, Usyk will be defending the WBA, WBC, WBO, and Ring Magazine titles in the Fury rematch.
The one piece of the undisputed puzzle that’s missing is the IBF championship.
Why is the IBF heavyweight championship not on the line in Usyk vs. Fury 2?
In late June, approximately five weeks after defeating Fury, Usyk relinquished the IBF version of the title. The super-skilled southpaw did this because he favored a direct rematch with “The Gypsy King” over a fight against IBF mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
Not only was the Fury rematch contractually agreed and more financially rewarding, but Usyk has already scored a ninth-round stoppage win over Dubois in July of last year. The majority of fight fans the world over were more eager to see Usyk vs. Fury 2 than Usyk vs. Dubois 2.
Following Usyk’s decision to vacate, Dubois, as interim titleholder, was immediately upgraded to full champion. He has since made his first defense, scoring a stunning fifth-round knockout over former champ Anthony Joshua in September.
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Will there be an undisputed heavyweight champion next year?
The fact that there wasn’t an undisputed heavyweight king between Lennox Lewis in 1999 and Usyk in 2024 tells you how difficult it is to have one champion in the glamour division.
However, given that Riyadh Season has all but taken ownership of the heavyweight elite, we’re unlikely to wait that long for another one.
If Usyk beats Fury for a second time, then he’d be perfectly placed to fight the winner of the IBF title fight between Dubois and Joseph Parker, which has been scheduled for February 22.
A Fury win would likely delay the process slightly. The two options available for the enigmatic Englishman would be a third fight with Usyk or the long-awaited all-British showdown with Joshua. Both of those fights would be for the unified crown.
