5 reasons Tyson Fury cannot afford to lose the Oleksandr Usyk rematch
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 is scheduled for Dec. 21, 2024, and it will be the most important fight of the former's career. Back in May, 'The Gypsy King' was dethroned from his self-perceived perch atop the heavyweight division when he faced the legendary Ukranian.
Their bout was contested for Fury's then-WBC heavyweight title and Usyk's WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight straps. In a blockbuster attraction that saw both men take each other to the absolute limit, Usyk badly hurt Fury late in the fight to secure a split-decision win in his favor.
The first loss cost Fury his undefeated record. A second loss, however, would be catastrophic for several reasons. Come fight night, 'The Gypsy King' will have to summon every ounce of skill in his repertoire if he hopes to regain the heavyweight throne.
#5. It would reinforce the anti-Tyson Fury rhetoric of his detractors
A criticism that has followed Tyson Fury throughout his entire career is that he does the least amount of work for the largest sum of money. Ahead of his first bout with Oleksandr Usyk, he said as much, scoffing at any talk of legacy. Thus, many have accused him of avoiding tough matchups in favor of easy ones.
Besides fighting a limited but dangerous power puncher in Deontay Wilder thrice and beating an over-the-hill Wladimir Klitschko, he hasn't faced many notable top-level names. In his detractors' minds, this is allegedly because Fury is aware that he's not good enough to beat the best of the best.
This is why he hasn't faced the likes of Anthony Joshua, Zhilei Zhang, Daniel Dubois, and others. A second loss to the Ukranian phenom would only reinforce this rhetoric and further damage his image.
#4. A loss would end Tyson Fury's championship days
Tyson Fury is no longer a champion, holding no belts. His claim to be the best heavyweight in the world cannot be substantiated without a title to his name. However, he will be 36 years old by the time he and Oleksandr Usyk rematch each other, closer to retirement than his peak.
While the two men are close in age, with Usyk being even older, the Ukranian legend lives a vastly different lifestyle with less drinking and partying. Moreover, Fury has far more professional fights under his belt. Given that Usyk holds virtually all of the belts but one, this is Fury's only chance to become a champion again.
If he loses to Usyk again, and Usyk continues winning, Fury will never touch another belt again unless he is willing to fight for the scraps he has vacated in the IBF heavyweight title he relinquished to a Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua matchup: something 'The Gypsy King' likely has too much pride to do.
#3. Another loss would damage Tyson Fury's legacy
While Tyson Fury claims not to give much importance to the nebulous concept of 'legacy,' he has spent quite a bit of time praising his own. In fact, 'The Gypsy King' often claims to be the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. However, how true can such a statement be if he loses to Oleksandr Usyk again?
Fury's legacy already comes under heavy scrutiny due to the weak opposition he has fought and his lack of desire to fight fellow top heavyweights. A second loss would damage his legacy because although some in the boxing fandom were able to look the other way due to the allure of Fury being unbeaten, he no longer is.
This is similar to Khabib Nurmagomedov's case. He retired undefeated, for which he earned praise, but he is often criticized for not having fought enough top competition. Fury already lost to Usyk. A second would all but relegate him to the status of a great, but not that great, fighter.
#2. Tyson Fury could reach a mental low point
Tyson Fury has been open and honest about his mental health struggles, having dealt with depression and substance abuse issues, which contributed to his significant weight gain. After his loss to Oleksandr Usyk, a stumbling 'Gypsy King' was seen being escorted out of a pub by security due to having drunk too much.
Check out Tyson Fury stumbling out of a pub:
Upon stepping outside of the pub, Fury fell over on the pavement. This is an extremely troubling development that highlights how poorly Fury has taken the loss to Usyk. Unfortunately, a second loss could have even graver consequences. Undefeated fighters rarely respond well to losing for the first time.
Deontay Wilder came up with a number of increasingly absurd excuses after his first loss. Ronda Rousey, meanwhile, even contemplated taking her own life. A second loss to Usyk could lead to self-destructive behavior for Fury that may very well impair his boxing career.
#1. Tyson Fury will lose some of his draw as a pay-per-view star
Tyson Fury once claimed there was a parallel between him and Conor McGregor, as both men are peacocking trash-talkers with overstated confidence, even arrogance. However, the bulk of Fury's trash talk revolved around his belief in being the greatest heavyweight of all time and, namely, unbeatable.
He built his image around being undefeated, and it has become his main strength as a pay-per-view draw. Unfortunately, he is no longer undefeated, though his loss to Oleksandr Usyk was close enough for him to raise questions about the split decision and claim that, with minor adjustments, he will win the rematch.
However, if he is defeated again, then his aura will be greatly diminished. While his trash talk will remain, his unbeaten status will no longer serve as a promotional crutch to draw fans hoping to watch him either extend his undefeated record to historic heights or watch the invincible 'Gypsy King' finally lose.