Tyson Fury could be set for a strange rematch with Wladimir Klitschko in 2025, if he overcomes Oleksandr Usyk on 21 December.
Fury lost to Usyk on points in May, as the latter became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years, and the pair will soon clash again – but with just three of the four major belts on the line, this time.
One reason for the heavyweight division’s long spell without an undisputed king was the dominance of Klitschko and his brother Vitali, who at one point held different versions of the gold simultaneously – for two-and-a-half years – and who refused to fight each other.
In 2015, Klitschko lost the unified titles to Fury in Germany, as the Briton outclassed the Ukrainian across 12 rounds. And if Fury can beat another Ukrainian in Usyk, he might yet face Klitschko again, 10 years after their first meeting.
That is because Saudi adviser Turki Al-Sheikh is keen on giving Klitschko the chance to become the oldest heavyweight champion in history. Al-Sheikh delivered the news in an interview with Ariel Helwani and Ade Oladipo on Tuesday (3 December).
Klitschko, who retired after a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in 2017, is now 48, three years older than George Foreman was when he began his final reign atop the heavyweight division in 1994.
Fury, 36, and Klitschko were in fact due for a rematch in 2016, but the “Gypsy King” withdrew due to injury. It was also later revealed that Fury had tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone around his previous fight, which took place nine months before he faced Klitschko. Fury denied cheating, but in 2017 he was handed a backdated two-year suspension by UK Anti-Doping.
For Fury vs Klitschko 2 to take place 10 years after that first meeting, Fury would need to overcome Usyk, who was close to stopping him in round nine of their first clash.
Furthermore, the IBF title could complicate things. Usyk, 37, vacated the belt after beating Fury, leading interim IBF champion Daniel Dubois to be elevated. Dubois retained the strap by knocking out Anthony Joshua in September, and he will defend it against Joseph Parker on 22 February. The winner of that bout could then challenge the victor of Fury vs Usyk 2.
Since February 2022, Klitschko has been aiding Ukraine’s war effort against Russia, while his brother Vitali, 53, is even more involved as the mayor of Kyiv.
This year, a Sky TV documentary called Klitschko: More Than A Fight delved into Vitali’s role in the war, while also touching on Wladimir’s involvement.
