OLEKSANDR USYK TO BE STRIPPED OF BELT IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEATING TYSON FURY

Oleksandr Usyk is expected to vacate his IBF world title - despite only just becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

Usyk defeated Tyson Fury via split decision on Saturday to add the WBC title to his collection. He now possesses all four major heavyweight belts - the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF - becoming the division's first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

Usyk, who was the undisputed cruiserweight champion before stepping up to heavyweight, also boasts the IBO and Ring Magazine belts. He is now set to take on Fury in a pre-agreed rematch in October, which is expected to be another close fight.

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But Filip Hrgovic, the IBF's mandatory challenger, isn't willing to wait around for a rematch. He's set to duke it out with Daniel Dubois for the soon-to-be-vacant title in June, with the winner expected to take on Anthony Joshua come September.

Consequently, if and when Fury and Usyk go head-to-head again, they'll be vying for just three titles. The IBF has a track record of swift action, having stripped Fury of his title post-haste following his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

Back then, Fury had committed to a rematch with Klitschko, which left him unable to meet the demands of facing mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov. Ultimately, Fury withdrew from the rematch, gave up his other titles, and spent nearly three years out of the ring battling a drink-and-drug-fueled depression.

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Speaking after Saturday's fight, Fury said: "I believe I won that fight. I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority. It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I'll be back. The good little man got the decision.

"We'll go back to our families and I'll see him again in October. We'll go back, rest up. I believe I won the fight but I'm not going to sit and cry and make excuses."

Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said to DAZN: "For me, it was a draw or Usyk by a point or two maximum. It was a mismatch early on but Usyk kept coming. What a fight."

Hearn added: "You have the mark the brilliance of Usyk. He beat every champion at cruiserweight. He came up and beat AJ (Joshua) twice and now beat Fury. The best heavyweight in the world right now, fact. There's adjustments that can be made.

"Fury was never out of the fight. He was dominating. The rematch is a big, big fight now. This man is going to be difficult to beat."

2024-05-19T00:33:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd