Klitschko awaits an offer from Saudi Arabia; what are the chances of seeing Vladimir back in the ring again?

Considering the outcome of the December rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, the priority for the Saudis will be to organize a fight between the "Gypsy King" and Wladimir Klitschko, featuring a loud promotion titled "10 Years Later." It is worth recalling that in 2015, a then 27-year-old Tyson Fury unexpectedly defeated 39-year-old Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision.

The contract for the fight included a rematch clause in case the Ukrainian lost. Wladimir immediately activated this option. However, in 2016, the rematch was canceled twice due to the British fighter's issues, as his victory over the long-time dominant world champion triggered strange psychological breakdowns.

Tyson Fury went "all out" and even failed to attend a press conference in 2016 that announced the rematch with Klitschko Jr. in his hometown of Manchester. This was a complete surprise even for his promoter Frank Warren, who made unsuccessful attempts to explain to British journalists why Fury did not show up for the media event. Frank even started to say that Tyson's car broke down on the way. When journalists asked why Fury did not take a taxi, Warren realized that Tyson had successfully made a fool of him and decided it was better not to concoct any further excuses, as it would only worsen their position.

It got worse. Fury even had his boxing license temporarily revoked, and a special commission investigated a doping case against him. Credit to Tyson: over time, he resolved his issues, returned to the professional ring, and became a world champion once again. But Wladimir Klitschko did not wait for that – in April 2017, in front of a packed 90,000 crowd at Wembley, the Ukrainian had a spectacular mega-fight with Anthony Joshua and ended his legendary boxing career.

Thus, theoretically, a rematch against Tyson Fury could take place 10 years after their first fight, making it a unique event in heavyweight history.

However, for all the pieces to fall into place, the Saudis need to resolve several tasks.

Firstly, Tyson Fury recently announced once again that he has ended his professional boxing career. However, the Brit has made similar statements multiple times, so this move might just be another tactic to "sell himself for a higher price." In other words, he might be saying, "Give me a fee that would make me want to come back."

Secondly, it is essential to offer Wladimir Klitschko a worthy financial deal. Over the eight years since his boxing career ended, Klitschko has not only preserved his earnings from the ring (which often happens with star boxers) but has also managed to establish several successful businesses. Back in 2017, the Ukrainian co-authored a book with German writer Stefanie Bielen titled "Managing Challenges. How to Apply Sports Strategy in Life and Business," which has been translated into multiple languages. He also taught a self-developed course on Challenge Management at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

During the full-scale war in Ukraine, Wladimir became a true ambassador for our country, securing assistance through his extensive network of business connections. In 2024, Klitschko co-authored a book with Tetiana Kil titled "Stolen Life," which discusses the systematic abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia and the fight for their return. Despite the immense pressure even during the war, Wladimir has continued to maintain his physical fitness and still looks like a true athlete.

An additional question is which title will be at stake in the fight. Currently, the championship belts for WBC, WBA, and WBO are held by Oleksandr Usyk, while the IBF belt belongs to the dark-skinned Brit Daniel Dubois, who Usyk defeated by knockout in the summer of 2023. However, this issue can be quickly resolved. For instance, at one time, the WBC held fights for their diamond belt. Therefore, creating a special title for such a high-profile fight would not present a significant challenge.

As for the timing of this potential mega-fight, I predict it will not happen before May. On February 22, a boxing show will take place in the capital of Saudi Arabia, where Dubois will defend his championship title against New Zealander Joseph Parker. After that, a short pause will be necessary. On March 25, Wladimir Klitschko will turn 49 years old. This means that the record of American George Foreman, who was the heavyweight champion until the age of 46 years and 170 days, is at risk.

Maksym Rozenko, Champion

Editor-in-Chief – Denys Shakhovets