The rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been set for this winter, according to the latest update from Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority.
Fury and Usyk finally held their highly-anticipated bout earlier this month after what felt like an eternity of ‘will they won’t they?’, a fight which ended in the Ukrainian delivering the Manc boxer’s first-ever professional defeat and becoming the first undisputed heavyweight in 24 years.
However, with the new unified champion having won the match via a split decision, Fury was quick to insist that he believed he should have been named as the victor, even going so far as to suggest that the judges let their sympathies for the war in Ukraine affect the final decision.
In truth, there was also a rematch clause built into the contract, so the announcement of Fury vs Usyk II itself comes as no surprise, but now we look to have an official date for the fight already.
BREAKING: Rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury confirmed for December 21st in Saudi Arabia 🚨 pic.twitter.com/RajBxtPYwa
As per Saudi official Turki Alalshikh, who shared the news on his own social media, the second bout will take place during the festive period, with the next instalment of what will likely go on to be a trilogy of fights scheduled for 21 December 2024.
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Alalshikh went on to add: “The world will watch another historical fight again. Our commitment to boxing fans continues. We hope you enjoy it.”
With Usyk remaining unbeaten in all of his 22 professional fights at the age of 37, many argued he was well within his right to retire as an undefeated champ like many other boxers coming towards the end of their career, however, it seems that another edition of Riyadh Season will be arriving later this year.
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As the official state-run entertainment festival and programme for Saudia Arabia and boxers receiving big paydays to host fights in the Middle East, you can expect many other blockbuster fights to take place in the Gulf state for the foreseeable future too.
While neither camp has yet come out to confirm the fight has been agreed upon or shared any form of update/announcement, but with the host nation itself seemingly giving the green light publicly, it looks to be a done deal.
That being said, we all know how many times these two called off previous scheduled dates for the long-awaited boxing match so don’t be too surprised if the date gets pushed back somehow – though a big fight just before Christmas does sound like a nice early gift.
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Do you think Fury can bounce back to win all four belts, or will Usyk once again prove himself to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time?
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
29th May 2024 
