One of the sticking points during negotiations for the first fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was the terms for a rematch.
Neither side would budge on purse splits and the proposed matchup fell apart more than once.
Enter Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, and money was no longer an issue.
Both Fury and Usyk cut up millions for their May encounter and they’ll do so again when they collide on December 21 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
WATCH: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2, live on DAZN
In their first fight, Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) defeated Fury by 12-round majority decision. The Ukrainian hero was under heavy fire from “The Gypsy King” in the middle rounds but regrouped to score a knockdown in the ninth after punishing his man heavily.
Fury (34-1-1, 14 KOs) suffered the first defeat of a 16-year professional career that night. And while the enigmatic Englishman does not accept the official decision, he is determined to even the score and promises a much more aggressive game plan in fight two.
Will it be repeat or revenge in Riyadh? Could we even see a third fight between Usyk and Fury?
Is there a rematch clause for Usyk vs. Fury 2?
No matter what the result, there is no rematch clause in place for this fight.
Will there be a Usyk vs. Fury 3?
If Usyk posts a second victory over “The Gypsy King”, then forget about it. With the Ukrainian 2-0 up, the book would surely be closed on this rivalry and both men would move on.
However, if Fury can avenge the lone loss of his professional career, then demand for a third encounter will be high. And if the second fight is a classic, then the rubber match is a cash cow.
The heavyweight division loves trilogy fights and Usyk vs. Fury could join Patterson vs. Johannson, Ali vs. Frazier, Ali vs. Norton, Holyfield vs. Bowe, and Fury vs. Wilder.
Who will Oleksandr Usyk fight if he beats Tyson Fury again?
Even though he’s only had 23 professional fights, Usyk doesn’t have many more dragons to slay. The 37-year-old lefty holds wins over Fury, Anthony Joshua (twice) and Daniel Dubois.
Should he defeat Fury a second time, then he might want to renew ties with Dubois, who now holds the IBF title. This would give Usyk the chance to win the undisputed heavyweight championship for a second time.
There are other high-quality heavyweights out there such as Joseph Parker, Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel, but they need Usyk a lot more than he needs them.
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Who will Tyson Fury fight if he loses to Oleksandr Usyk again?
If Fury loses again, then one can’t dismiss the possibility of retirement.
However, if The Gypsy King is to continue with his career, then the long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua would be the biggest fight available for both men.
Opinions vary on whether Fury vs. Joshua will lose its luster if the former suffers a second loss to the Ukrainian. But while it will never be as big as it once was, this all-British showdown would remain a colossal event with a lot of intrigue towards who would win.
Will the boxing Gods allow this one to happen, or is Fury vs. Joshua forever snakebitten?