The undercard for Tyson Fury's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk has been revealed.
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title to write his name into the history books as one of boxing's all-time greats.
Fury had the upper hand midway through the fight after a few closely contested opening rounds, but Usyk mounted a formidable comeback in the latter stages, dramatically claiming a 10-8 advantage in round nine by landing a series of blows on the Gypsy King as he stumbled against the ropes.
The pair will go toe-to-toe for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21 - with fans questioning whether the Gypsy King has what it takes to get his revenge over Usyk.
The undercard for the highly anticipated bout has been announced, with Turki Alalshikh sharing the line-up ahead of Artur Beterbiev's undisputed title fight with Dmitry Bivol this weekend.
The co-main event will be a thrilling match-up between Ukraine's Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and Uzbekistan's Israil Madrimov (9-0-1, 6 KOs).
Both men are known for their power and aggressive styles, with Bohachuk boasting an astounding knockout rate - having KO'd 23 of his opponents.
The Ukrainian puncher, trained by Manny Robles, is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Vergil Ortiz Jr and make a statement on the world stage.
Madrimov, a former amateur standout and Olympic alternate for Uzbekistan, has been on the fast track since turning professional.
Known for his slick boxing skills and ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, Madrimov boats a 10-1-1 record.
Madrimov became a world champion at the age of 29 after 10 professional fights, but, lost his most recent fight against Terence Crawford.
Madrimov's latest fight was a unanimous decision loss to Crawford, in which he lost his WBA super-welterweight title.
In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old British phenom Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is set to face his toughest test yet against Australia's Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs).
Itauma, widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, has been demolishing opponents with ease, knocking eight of his opponents out.
Standing at 6'4' with an imposing frame, the young fighter has already drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson for his fearsome power and relentless pressure.
McKean, a 6'6' southpaw, will experience and durability to the contest set to take place on December 21.
A former rugby league player turned boxer, McKean has fought internationally, including on high-profile cards in the UK and the US.
While coming off a recent loss to Filip Hrgović, McKean remains a credible gatekeeper in the heavyweight division.
For Itauma, a win over an opponent of McKean's calibre would further cement his reputation as a future title contender.
In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), also known as 'The Romford Bull,' will take on British journeyman and Dave Allen (21-6-2, 18 KOs).
This will be Fisher's first fight since his surgery - which ruled him out of his scheduled fight with Andrii Rudenko on the Catterall-Prograis undercard.
Dave Allen, a seasoned and colourful veteran, has become a cult figure in British boxing - fighting the likes of Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.
After a brief retirement, Allen returned to the ring in 2023 and remains a dangerous opponent, capable of upsetting less experienced fighters.
Dennis McCann and Peter McGrail have also been pitted against each other, while Isaac Lowe and Lee McGregor will also go toe-to-toe on the undercard.
But, it wasn't the undercard that raised the most eyebrows among the boxing community, it was the fact Fury name is being billed first despite losing the initial bout.
Typically, the fighter who wins the first match is given top billing for the rematch, but this time, Fury's name is front and centre—a decision that has led to surprise and speculation among fans and pundits alike.
Fury, the self-proclaimed 'Gypsy King,' suffered a closely contested defeat to Usyk in their first meeting, which took place earlier this year.
The Ukrainian unified champion outboxed Fury in a tactical masterclass, retaining his WBA, IBF, and WBO titles while adding Fury's WBC belt to his collection.
It was a humbling result for Fury, who had entered the ring undefeated, with many expecting his size and unorthodox style to prove too much for Usyk.
Instead, it was Usyk's speed, precision, and boxing IQ that carried him to a unanimous decision victory.
Given the result, many expected Usyk, now the undisputed heavyweight champion, to take top billing in the rematch.
In boxing tradition, the defending champion—particularly one coming off a win in the previous fight—is often the headliner.
However, the promotional posters and marketing materials for the second fight list Fury's name first, sparking debate about the reasoning behind the choice.
