British fighter Tyson Fury will have a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk later this year, his promoter Frank Warren has confirmed. This follows Fury’s first career defeat, which happened in Riyadh over the weekend. Usyk won with scores of 115-112, 113-114, and 114-113, becoming the first undisputed champion of the four-belt era.
After the fight, Fury insisted he should have won but was unsure about a rematch, even though it was in the original contract. Speaking to the media, the Gypsy King said: “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Rumours of Fury retiring quickly spread after his first defeat. However, Warren has now confirmed that Fury plans to invoke his right to a rematch and will be back in the ring in a few months.
“He’s back here, he’s recuperating, and his mood is that he wants the rematch,” Warren told TalkSPORT. “That’s already signed for, so it will happen,” he added.
Warren also confirmed that the rematch is scheduled for October and will again take place in Riyadh.
Fury caused controversy after the fight by suggesting that the ongoing war in Ukraine influenced the judges’ decision to award Usyk the win. “His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war,” he said. These comments received widespread condemnation.
Warren defended Fury, saying the reaction to his comments made him “quite angry”. Speaking to Jim White and Simon Jordan, he said: “I’ve just got back and I’m reading some of the reports. Tyson is bipolar. If you go on the NHS site and look at the symptoms, one of them is saying exactly what is on your mind. If it’s in your mind, you say it. That is one of the symptoms, unfortunately.”
Warren added: “Immediately after the fight, Tyson kissed Usyk at least three times on the forehead and cheek. With Tyson, he’s said in the past, ‘I’ve retired’, and a couple of months later, ‘I’m fighting again’. That’s unfortunately one of the things that happens with people who suffer from this dreadful illness. It was called manic depression years ago; now it’s called bipolar. Tyson’s problems are well documented. Tyson is a warrior.”
