- Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury to become undisputed world champion in May
- Todd DuBoef says Gypsy King has figured out Ukrainian ahead their rematch
Tyson Fury learned a ‘hard lesson’ after his defeat by Oleksandr Usyk and is ready to gain revenge, claims his co-promoter.
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title to write his name into the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats.
Fury had the upper hand midway through the fight after a few closely contested opening rounds, but Usyk mounted a formidable comeback in the latter stages, dramatically claiming a 10-8 advantage in round nine by landing a series of blows on the Gypsy King as he stumbled against the ropes.
The pair are set to fight again in Riyadh on December 21 and Top Rank’s DuBoef says Fury now knows how to defeat the Ukrainian.
Reflecting on the first fight, he told Sky Sports: ‘In those middle rounds it felt like he was just teeing off on him and I think he just got a little lackadaisical and confident.
Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury to become the undisputed world champion in May
Todd DuBoef says the Gypsy King has figured out the Ukrainian ahead rematch in December
‘I think he learned a lesson and it was a hard lesson. But I also believe the other guy’s going to be better this time, because he has more confidence.
‘I think his personality the way he [Fury] is in the ring, is just his character. But I think he’s going to not take things for granted and I think learned a hard lesson.’
DuBoef added that Fury will beat Usyk ‘if he stays focused. If he doesn’t play around’.
Meanwhile, Queensbury chief Frank Warren, who also co-promotes Fury, says the Brit will know what to do in the rematch after a ‘close’ first bout.
‘He’s quite philosophical. He felt he won the fight. I thought he just nicked it, but it was a close fight. It could have gone either way, a lot of neutrals, like Thomas Hauser, people with no axe to grind, thought it was a draw, one round [in it], and it was a split decision,’ Warren said.
‘He’s got to go out and, what he did in that first half of the fight, he’s got to carry that through.
Queensbury chief Frank Warren (right) says Fury knows what to do in the rematch
‘I thought he genuinely was going to stop [Usyk]. That great shot, you could see it, he wobbled back. He’s game and did what he had to do.
‘I just feel Tyson, he’s a smart guy, he knows what he’s got to do.’
