The undercard for Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk has been revealed.
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title and cementing his name in the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats.
Fury had the upper hand midway through the fight after a pair of closely contested opening rounds, but Usyk staged a formidable comeback in the latter stages to dramatically claim a 10-8 lead in round nine by landing a flurry of punches on the Gypsy King as he stumbled against the ropes.
The pair will go head-to-head for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21, with fans wondering if the Gypsy King has what it takes to get revenge on Usyk.
The undercard for the highly anticipated fight has been announced, with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh sharing the lineup ahead of Artur Beterbiev’s undisputed title fight with Dmitry Bivol this weekend.
The undercard for Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk has been revealed
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title and cementing his name in the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats.
The co-main event will be an exciting match between Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov (9-0-1, 6 KOs).
Both men are known for their power and aggressive style, with Bohachuk boasting an astonishing knockout percentage, KOing 23 of his opponents.
The Ukrainian puncher, trained by Manny Robles, is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Vergil Ortiz Jr. and make a statement on the world stage.
Madrimov, a former amateur standout and Olympic alternative for Uzbekistan, has been on the right track since turning pro.
Known for his smooth boxing skills and his ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, Madrimov has a record of 10-1-1.
Madrimov became world champion at the age of 29 after ten professional fights, but lost his most recent fight against Terence Crawford.
Madrimov’s last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Crawford in which he lost his WBA super welterweight title.
In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old British phenom Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is about to face his toughest test yet against Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs).
Widely regarded as one of the smartest players in the sport, Itauma has destroyed opponents with ease, knocking out eight of his opponents.
Standing 6 feet tall and with an imposing frame, the young fighter has already drawn comparisons to the young Mike Tyson for his terrifying power and relentless pressure.
McKean, a 6-foot-1 left-hander, will have experience and durability heading into the match, which will take place on December 21.
In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old British phenom Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is about to face his toughest test yet against Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs)
Widely regarded as one of the smartest players in the sport, Itauma has destroyed his opponents with ease, knocking out eight of his opponents.
McKean, a former rugby league player turned boxer, has fought internationally, including on high-profile cards in the UK and US.
Although McKean is coming off a recent defeat to Filip Hrgović, he remains a credible gatekeeper in the heavyweight division.
For Itauma, a win over an opponent of McKean’s caliber would further cement his reputation as a future title contender.
In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), also known as ‘The Romford Bull’, will take on the British journeyman and Dave Allen (21-6-2, 18 KOs).
This will be Fisher’s first fight since his surgery, which ruled him out of his scheduled fight with Andrii Rudenko on the Catterall-Prograis undercard.
A seasoned and colorful veteran, Dave Allen has become a cult figure in British boxing, fighting the likes of Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.
After a brief retirement, Allen returned to the ring in 2023 and remains a dangerous opponent, capable of upsetting less experienced fighters.
Dennis McCann and Peter McGrail have also faced off, while Isaac Lowe and Lee McGregor will also face off on the undercard.
But it wasn’t the undercard that raised the most eyebrows among the boxing community, it was the fact that Fury’s name was billed first despite losing the first fight.
Normally the fighter who wins the first bout gets top billing for the rematch, but this time Fury’s name takes center stage – a decision that has sparked surprise and speculation among fans and pundits alike.
In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), also known as ‘The Romford Bull’, will take on the British journeyman and Dave Allen (21-6-2, 18 KOs)
Fury, the self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’, suffered a closely contested defeat to Usyk in their first meeting, which took place earlier this year.
The Ukrainian unified champion defeated Fury in a tactical masterclass, retaining his WBA, IBF and WBO titles while adding Fury’s WBC belt to his collection.
It was a humiliating result for Fury, who had entered the ring undefeated, with many expecting his size and unorthodox style to prove too much for Usyk.
Instead, it was Usyk’s speed, precision and boxing IQ that carried him to a unanimous decision victory.
Given the result, many expected Usyk, now the undisputed heavyweight champion, to take top billing in the rematch.
In boxing tradition, the defending champion – especially the one who scored a victory in the previous fight – is often the headliner.
However, promotional posters and marketing materials for the second fight featured Fury’s name first, sparking debate over the reasoning behind the choice.