Pick: Alexander Usyk-Tyson Fury II
When to watch: Saturday, December 21st. The undercard match begins at 10:30 AM ET (3:30 PM GMT).
How to watch: DAZN Pay Per View
Why watch: Two of the best heavyweights in the world meet again.
In May, Alexander Usyk and Tyson Fury shared a ring, with Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) holding all four world titles and therefore the undisputed title.
Usyk won’t be the undisputed champion in this rematch – he vacated the IBF belt since Daniel Dubois won – but a second fight with Fury (34-1 -1, 24 KOs) will still have three titles on the line. Recognized as lineal champion.
Will Usyk retain the throne? Or will Fury get it back?
Their first meeting ended with a split decision for Usyk. Usyk’s scores were 115-112, 114-113, and Fury’s scores were 114-113. One point decided Usyk’s title win and Fury’s draw to retain the title.
This point came in the crucial ninth round – Usyk won 10-8. He severely injured Fury, pummeling him in the ring and being knocked down at the end of the round when the referee ruled that the ropes were keeping Fury upright.
Fury had his moments, especially in the first half of the fight, especially with his uppercuts and body shots.
Both are likely to arrive at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with strategies adjusted based on their experiences in May, what they’ve seen on tape since then and what they think will happen on Saturday.
Both men won every rematch. Barring a tie, that will change with the outcome of Usyk-Fury II.
Fury, 36, who hails from Morecambe, England, won his rematch with John McDermott in 2010, Derek Chisora ​​in 2014 and 2022, most notably in Fights with Deontay Wilder in 2020 and 2021. Wilder’s first fight was a draw. A rematch with Usyk will be Fury’s first attempt at revenge.
As for Usyk, this was the 37-year-old Ukrainian’s only rematch with a split decision victory over Anthony Joshua after winning by unanimous decision in their first fight. Usyk’s most notable amateur achievement is also a rematch – his Olympic gold medal victory over Clemente Russo in the 2012 heavyweight championship. At the 2008 Olympics, Russo defeated Usyk in the quarterfinals.
As for what happens next? There may be a third battle. Otherwise, there are plenty of alternatives, which I researched in depth In the words of my latest battle.
Here’s some of what’s on the base card:
Junior middleweight contender Serhiy Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) will face late replacement Ishmael Davis (13-1, 6 KOs), who takes over for Ish Rey Madrimov. Davis was last seen in action in September, when he narrowly lost a hard-fought battle with Josh Kelly.
Rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs). In July, Itama defeated long-overshadowed former title challenger Mariusz Wach over two rounds. In August 2023, McKean was knocked out in the 12th round by Filip Hrgovic.
Undefeated heavyweight Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) takes on David Allen (23-6-2, 18 KOs). In July, Fisher took out Alen Babbage in less than a minute. Allen has won two fights since being stopped by Frazer Clarke in six rounds in September 2023.
A featherweight bout features Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 11 KOs) and Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs). McGregor has won two straight fights since a decision loss to 13-1 Eric Robles Ayala in July 2023. A few years ago, Lowe gave up two goals in a row, in December 2021, on a body shot from Luis Alberto Lopez, and then in April 2022, when a body shot by Nick Ball ) six shots blocked. He was at a career low, but he bounced back with four wins, including a 16-1 points win over Hasibullah Ahmadi in May.
Tuesday, December 17: Andy Dominguez vs. Angel Geovanny Meza Morales (DAZN)
The broadcast begins at 7pm ET (midnight GMT).
headline battle Sony Concert Hall in New York Andy Domingos (11-1, 6 KOs) takes on Angel Geovanny Meza Morales (8-2-3, 6 KOs).
Dominguez, 26, lost a unanimous decision to undefeated prospect Yankiel Rivera in February before defeating Cristopher Rios 10-1 via majority decision in June Rios) comeback.
Morales, now 24, suffered his first defeat in September 2023, when he lost a split decision to the then-undefeated Pedro Delgado Gaitan. Morales followed up with two wins but lost one more in his last appearance, a unanimous decision against 7-0-1 Daniel Barrera in October. Rice ended with a short.
The syndicated feature pits Kurt Scobee against his late successor, Andrew Rogers.
Scobie (15-1, 13 KOs) is making his fourth fight of 2024 and his third appearance since his first loss. That was back in April, when the 29-year-old lightweight from Pennsylvania faced 13-6-3 Dakota Linger in the sixth round.
Rogers (9-15-3, 3 KOs) is a 32-year-old fighter from Elkhart, Indiana. He has lost three straight fights and has fought six in 2024, including an 11-0 majority decision loss to Nikolay Shvab two weeks ago. Rogers went 1-4-1 in those six fights; his lone win came in July, when he defeated 19-1-2 Julian Rodat by a near-unanimous decision. Rodarte).
