It’s been a seismic week for boxing’s heavyweight division with Tyson Fury apparently set to unretire and a massive undisputed showdown confirmed.
First, on Sunday night, we got the news that Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois have signed to meet at Wembley Stadium on Saturday July 19 for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
Usyk (23-0) will put his WBC, WBA, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal titles on the line against IBF ruler Dubois (22-2) in a fight which should give the sport its second undisputed heavyweight king in just over a year. This after a 25-year wait leading up to Usyk outpointing Tyson Fury last May.
Wembley showdown a chance for Dubois revenge
It’s a rematch of the first Usyk vs Dubois meeting in Poland in 2023, when the Ukrainian genius Usyk (23-0) survived a controversial moment early in the bout when a Dubois body shot sent him to the canvas. But the punch was ruled a low blow and Usyk was given time to recover.
Usyk would go on to win via a ninth-round stoppage, and now he gets the chance to become a three-time undisputed world champion having held all the belts at both cruiserweight and heavyweight previously.
For the big-punching Dubois (22-2) meanwhile this is the opportunity for revenge, since that Usyk loss he has reeled off three spectacular wins to rebuild his reputation. Topped off by that incredible demolition job on Anthony Joshua at Wembley last September.
Fury drops biggest comeback hint yet
If that wasn’t enough excitement - boxing does not do things by halves - Monday brought more sensation as two-time-heavyweight champion Tyson Fury dropped the biggest hint yet that he is unretiring and making a comeback once again.
‘The Gypsy King’ (34-2-1) released an 11-second video with trainer Sugar Hill Steward which all but confirmed he will be back in competitive action soon.
If that is the case, then there appears to be only one huge fight out there for the 36-year-old superstar - that long-awaited all-British blockbuster vs Joshua.
Fury vs Joshua at last?
Neither man holds a heavyweight title right now, and with Usyk and Dubois otherwise engaged, that is unlikely to change this year.
So that meeting of two generational British talents appears to be not only the biggest fight out there for both, but the only one that makes real sense.
Joshua (28-4) for his part has said he will fight again following the Dubois loss, and is about to return to training after recovering from an injury to the upper part of his body.
So the events of the last 24 hours mean that we may not just get one incredible heavyweight matchup in the coming months, but two. Get the popcorn…
