Tyson Fury faced a brutal beating in his first fight against unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Now, as the rematch approaches in 12 days on December 21st, there are numerous questions about his remaining strength and capabilities.

Unraveling the Fate of Tyson Fury in the Rematch

The Beating

The ninth-round beatdown Fury endured holds significant implications. It's a type of assault that can have long-lasting effects. In the rematch, once Usyk starts exerting pressure again, Fury might struggle to keep up. His appearance going into the rematch doesn't suggest he's in the best shape. After the May 18th 12-round split decision to Usyk, Fury has been through a tough ordeal. It's as if he's lived a hard life in the past seven months. One wonders what he's been consuming and how it's affected him. That loss has aged him significantly, making him look like a 45+-year-old. It seems he slackened off with his diet regimen after the defeat, which is understandable given the emotional toll. When people are unhappy, they often turn to comfort foods, and that might be why Fury put on so much weight and found it difficult to shed.

Fury's Loss of Concentration?

Eddie Hearn tried to explain Fury's loss to Oleksandr Usyk last May by suggesting a loss of focus and concentration. But this isn't the true reason. It had nothing to do with the voices in Fury's corner barking instructions. Fury simply couldn't handle Usyk's skills. He was tagged on the chin, and his legs turned to jelly. This can be attributed to his deteriorating punch resistance from a long professional career and his three fights with Deontay Wilder.

"Hearn said, 'Fury edged the first half of the fight, and Usyk dominated the back end. For me, the right man won. The intrigue is what Tyson can do differently in this fight.' Sergio Mora added, 'Although he'd won the fight, he'd given everything. He was a tired man.' Promoter Frank Warren said, 'It was a tough fight for both of them. What has it taken out of them? That is the thing now. Tyson, more than anybody, knows what he has to do. He doesn't need me to tell him. He has a great boxing brain. He's a student of boxing.'"