Tyson Fury is ‘fired up’ to avenge his first professional career defeat when he rematches Oleksandr Usyk later this year.
After an enthralling undisputed heavyweight world title clash in May, they will rematch on December 21.
Soon Fury will be deep into training camp, which he will base in Malta for this fight .
He will be coming at Usyk with a new mindset from the opening bell, revealed Frank Warren, who promotes Fury alongside Top Rank.
“His mentality is he’s got to knock him out to win,” Warren told Sky Sports. “So it’s going to be exciting.”
Fury was showboating at the start of that first fight with Usyk, who now holds the WBC, WBO and WBA world heavyweight titles after edging a decision win over the Briton in May.
But Fury will look to make adjustments in the rematch.
“He knows what he did wrong,” Warren said. “It was a fight of two halves and at one stage in the seventh round I genuinely thought he was going to stop him in the next round.
“[Usyk] wobbled going back to the corner and he came out and caught him with that shot on his nose that seemed to take all Tyson’s momentum and focus away.
“He believes he knows what he has to do. He’s got a great boxing brain and I genuinely believe he’ll come out as the victor.”
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Tyson Fury, Conor McGregor, Oleksandr Usyk and more give their thoughts on Daniel Dubois’ knockout of Anthony Joshua
Fury will be highly motivated with a point to prove in the second fight. Top Rank chief operating officer Brad Jacobs said: “He knows he let that one slip away and he’s got to right the ship. He’s all fired up to do so for December 21.”
Victory would silence any doubts about him. “Is he on the slide? Is it over? Or has he got a lot of years left in him?” Jacobs said.
“He hadn’t lost before and this is a whole new world for him. He’s coming in with a loss on his record in his last fight. Usually guys who lose a fight get a couple of easy wins and they come back. He’s going right back in the lion’s den. So huge, huge fight for him.”
Warren believes that even though Usyk won, that first fight was still more punishing for the Ukrainian, who is the smaller man of the two.
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Tyson Fury couldn’t resist getting involved when Dillian Whyte was speaking with Sky Sports’ Eleanor Roper
“I went back to both of their dressing rooms afterwards and Usyk, he was knackered, he knew he’d been in a fight. Tyson seemed in better shape because he recovered from that ninth round during the fight and won the last round,” Warren said.
“It was a close fight, a split decision with the judges. A lot of people had different views who won. So it’s going to be interesting to see who has learned the most. Tyson’s got a great boxing brain – can he implement it? He’s been in some tough fights and it’s the same with Usyk.
“Everybody can’t wait for this fight. I certainly can’t. The first fight was probably one of the best heavyweight fights of the 21st century. If it’s half as good as that, we’ll be pleased.”
Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Frazer Clarke is on the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill on Saturday October 12 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Wardley vs Clarke 2 and Beterbiev vs Bivol now!
