Boxing pundit Johnny Nelson doesn’t believe Tyson Fury will take the rematch with Oleksandr Usyk and could even retire. His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, recently confirmed that the second showdown between the two heavyweight stars is being planned for the 21st of December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis in 1999 when he defeated ‘The Gypsy King’ back in May.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Oleksandr Usyk is just the 25th man in history to reign as undisputed heavyweight champion – and the first fighter to ever do it in the four-belt era.
The 37-year-old secured a tight split decision win on the judges’ scorecards after an epic battle at Kingdom Arena. The official score totals read 115-112 Usyk, 114-113 Fury & 114-113 Usyk.
The decisive moment came in the ninth round. Usyk landed a number of stinging shots – which appeared to nearly knock Fury out. The Brit was left dazed on the canvas and was saved by the bell, with many believing that the contest should’ve been stopped.
Johnny Nelson Doesn’t Believe Fury will Take Usyk rematch
The Brit suffered the first defeat of his career against the Ukrainian
Footage has recently emerged of ‘The Gypsy King’ being escorted out of a Morecambe bar. It comes just weeks after losing the undisputed world heavyweight championship showdown to Usyk.
Nelson believes that ‘The Gypsy King’ hasn’t been at his best since his first fight with Deontay Wilder back in 2018, as that was the last time that he showed the physical skills that made him a top class heavyweight. The trilogy clashes with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ appear to have taken its toll on the Brit.
Therefore, when speaking to Secondsout, Nelson has revealed that he’d be surprised if Fury steps in the ring with the Ukrainian for a second time or even again: “I think Tyson Fury, the realisation of what’s happened to him, will kick in slowly but surely. I don’t believe Tyson Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk next or again.”
He added: “He [Fury] either packs it in or Usyk retires or moves down [to cruiserweight]. I don’t think he’ll get in with Usyk again. I think he’ll retire because of the fashion of his defeat, and he’ll just be struggling to deal with it.”
Tyson Fury’s Inner Circle ‘Concerned’ With Reaction to Usyk Defeat
The boxer’s struggles with alcohol have been previously documented
Close friends of ‘The Gypsy King’ have told Mail Online of their concern over how the heavyweight star is coping with his first professional defeat.
One of the boxer’s friends said: “Tyson and alcohol do not mix well. He’s previously used booze as a coping mechanism, which for any sufferer of ADHD is never a good idea. But given he’s been drinking again after such a high-profile defeat, there is a fear within his camp that more than ever, his support network needs to be ready to safeguard him through what could be a particularly testing stage of his life. He has never lost a professional boxing match before, so they’re in uncharted territory in regard to anticipating how he’ll deal with it.”
Fury was spotted taking a seaside stroll along the promenade in Morecambe Bay with his father on Tuesday in his first appearance since the bar incident. “He looked to have recovered from his Friday night session,” an onlooker said.
