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Can former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury avenge his loss to former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch on December 21st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia? Following a closely contested first fight, fans and experts alike are divided on the matter. Meanwhile, former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has shared his take on Fury’s future in the bout. 

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Back in May, despite Fury’s best efforts, the Ukrainian got the upper hand in their fight and even scored a knockdown by forcing Fury to hold on to the ropes for dear life in the ninth round en route to a split decision win. However, ‘The Gypsy King’ has promised things will be different this time around, as he plots his revenge. 

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While appearing in an interview with IFL TV recently, Lewis, who defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999 to become the last undisputed heavyweight champion of the 20th century, spoke on Fury’s chances of flipping the script in December. “The first fight was an amazing fight,” Lewis recollected. “You had two great heavyweights up there undefeated. It can only be one champion, one winner and we found out it was Oleksandr Usyk.”

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Lewis explained that Fury goes through phases of highs and lows, noting, “Right now, he’s down, but he’s pretty focused on getting back up.” When asked about whether Tyson can win the rematch, Lewis told IFL TV, “I think he has the potential to do it.” But Lewis threw the credit (or the caution) back to Fury himself, saying those early rounds would set the tone!

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Meanwhile, ‘The Lion’ Lewis also commented on Fury’s corner debacle that had the public buzzing back in May. 

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Lennox Lewis reminds Tyson Fury ‘You can’t make it without a great team’

During the last fight, John Fury, Tyson’s father, joined the usual crew made of trainers SugarHill Steward and Andy Lee. What ensued next was pure chaos, with instructions coming from every which way. Social media was abuzz with criticism thrown at Fury Sr., suggesting his presence caused ‘The Gypsy King’ to suffer his first career loss.

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There were even some rumors that Fury may change his corner, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Regardless, reflecting on the situation, Lennox Lewis said, “If he’s happy with his team and he feels very positive about them, then it should be a good outcome because you have to have a good team with you and you can’t make it without a great team.”

Despite Tyson Fury’s track record, Lennox Lewis seems cautious about picking him as the favorite in the upcoming fight against Oleksandr Usyk. And understandably so—their first clash was incredibly close, and this rematch feels like it could swing either way. What are your thoughts? Who do you think has the edge in this fight?

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Written by

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Sudeep Sinha

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Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

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Gokul Pillai

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