Oleksandr Usyk was crowned the first undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 after his bout with Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian secured the title through a split decision as “The Gypsy King” lasted the full distance.
Initially, the fight seemed unlikely when negotiations for an April showdown at Wembley fell through but, Saudi Arabia stepped in, offering the rivals substantial financial incentives to finalise the deal.
Hyped as one of the greatest fights of the 21st century, the event met the high expectations of boxing fans worldwide. Although Fury lost, he is set to receive a significant financial reward for his participation in the bout.
How much did Tyson Fury make from the fight?
Fury is set to earn an impressive £80m, making him the highest-paid sportsperson in Britain, surpassing his rival Anthony Joshua. “There is no question he is Britain’s highest earner, by far,” said Fury’s promoter Frank Warren. “He has made significant money and broken records.
“He participated in the highest-grossing heavyweight fight ever in Las Vegas against Deontay Wilder. His fight at Wembley Stadium against Dillian Whyte was the highest-grossing event they’ve ever had. And he sold 60,000 tickets at Tottenham for an open-air show in December against Dereck Chisora – it’s remarkable”.
However, Fury might not see the full amount as he will need to pay substantial income tax and national insurance on his earnings. According to Stocklytics, if Fury earns £100m in Riyadh, he would owe £44,986,203 in income tax and £2,002,764.60 in national insurance, leaving him with a total of £53,011,032.40.
“If you are a UK resident, you have to pay tax on overseas earnings in the same way, no matter how much you earn,” a Stocklytics spokesperson explained. “Good tax advice is always important, and you can be sure the Fury camp will have negotiated the most beneficial agreement”.
How much did Oleksandr Usyk make from the fight?
Despite winning the fight, Usyk took home less than Fury with £35m. “The Cat” agreed to this purse on the condition that his opponent donate £1m of his earnings to Ukraine amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
But Usyk’s reign as the undisputed heavyweight world champion may be short lived. The IBF’s longtime mandatory challenger, Croatia’s unbeaten Filip Hrgovic, is scheduled to fight the UK’s Daniel Dubois on 1 June in Riyadh.
This bout could become an IBF title fight if the organisation follows past practices, with the winner likely to face the UK’s former champion Anthony Joshua later in the year.
Lennox Lewis, who held the WBC, WBA, IBF, and IBO titles, lost the WBA belt for not fighting a mandatory challenger, and the IBF stripped him of its title in 2002 for similar reasons.
“This is a big opportunity for me, my family, and my country,” said Usyk, 37, who briefly served as a soldier after Russia’s invasion. “It’s a great time, a great day,” he added, expressing his readiness for a rematch.
Will there be a rematch?
Immediately after the fight, Fury asked Usyk for a rematch, and the champion accepted the challenge.
“I have a rematch clause, and I want it because I won that fight,” Fury declared while still in the ring. “We’ll rest up and fight again in October.”
Promoter Frank Warren also confirmed the rematch. “That’s what the contract says, and if that’s what Fury wants, then it’s up to him,” Warren told the broadcasters.
However, it is unlikely that an October rematch would be for all four belts, as the International Boxing Federation (IBF) plans to strip Usyk if he does not face its mandatory challenger, Filip Hrgovic, next.