Turki Alalshih announced today a new promotion for the December 21 rematch between unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Haunted Fury
The theme of the promotion is that both fighters are haunted, that they see each other in the faces of the people they interact with. From the undefeated Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs), the promo accurately depicts what he’s likely dealing with mentally.
Had the promotion focused entirely on Fury being the one who was mentally challenged, devastated by regretunable to forget what happened to him last May. Tyson and his trainer, SugarHill Steward, tried to downplay what happened in the loss, dismissing it as a simple case of being caught.
That should be the theme of the promotion. Usyk isn’t dealing with any PTSD issues after the blow he gave Fury in the first fight, especially considering what happened in the infamous ninth round.
Fury, 36, was soundly beaten by highly technical 2012 Olympic gold medalist Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) in their previous fight on May 18, and he is concerned about the loss. That loss in May last year reduced his public image, and he is now seen as a mere lackey, no different from the other contenders to meet the king.
The fight never ended; it just took over their minds 🤯 #Usik2Furi Reignited will solve the obsession once and for all 🔥🥊
🗓 December 21
📍 Kingdom ArenaBuy your ticket now 👇https://t.co/2vj6OVlbHb#RiadhSeason#BigTime pic.twitter.com/U3dtD73Pj9
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) December 1, 2024
Fury’s Legacy Fight
The defeat removed the aura of invisibility the Gypsy King once had, exposing him as nothing more than a fighter who was never what the unsophisticated, easily fooled public thought he was.
It is vital that Fury redeems himself in Usyk’s rematch as there is a lot of money for the Gypsy King, who needs a win to help build the British title against Anthony Joshua.
If Usyk beats Fury again, he’ll be retiring from fighting Joshua in the first quarter of 2025 on a two-fight losing streak (three if you count Francis Ngannou), and it’ll be a joke of their matchup.
Fury-Usik 2 Undercard
Moisije Itauma vs. Demsey McKean
Johnny Fisher vs. Dave Allen
Israil Madrimov vs. Serhii Bohachuk
Dennis McCann v Peter McGrail
Isaac Lowe vs. Lee McGregor