Israil Madrimov vs. Serhii Bohachuk Added to Co-Main Event for Fury vs. Usyk Rematch in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia Gears Up for An Action-packed Undercard As Madrimov and Bohachuk Aim to Steal the Spotlight

Israil Madrimov is set to face Serhii Bohachuk in the Fury-Usyk undercard / Israil_madrimov on Instagram.

By Moses Ochieng

Super welterweight contenders Israil Madrimov and Serhii Bohachuk have been added to the co-main event for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk rematch on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

“Before the two giants collide in Fury v Usyk Reignited, the undercard is set to light up the ring. With some of the biggest names in boxing stepping into the ring, these matchups will set the stage for an unforgettable night,” Alalshikh stated on X, talking about the Madrimov-Bohachuk clash.

The undercard for the December 21 Fury-Usyk 2 event is quite lackluster, but the Madrimov vs. Bohachuk fight could provide enough excitement to make it worthwhile for fans. Both fighters have established themselves as top competitors in the division and are expected to deliver an entertaining bout.

Both Madrimov and Bohachuk are coming off close losses in fights they could have won. Former WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) suffered a narrow unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford on August 3. Had Madrimov been more aggressive and avoided excessive clinching in the last three rounds, he might have secured the victory over Crawford.

Former WBC interim champion Serhii Bohachuk (26-2, 23 KOs) lost a close 12-round majority decision to Vergil Ortiz Jr. on August 10 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Bohachuk’s mistake was not being more aggressive in the final three rounds when Ortiz Jr. switched to boxing from the outside. Bohachuk’s trainer should have recognized Vergil’s tactics and urged him to attack, as it was clear what Ortiz was trying to do.

The Madrimov vs. Bohachuk fight has the potential to steal the spotlight from the main event between the aging former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBA/WBC/WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk. Fury, now older, may no longer possess the same level of entertainment and intensity he once had.

In the heavyweight division, rising prospect Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) will make his fourth appearance of 2024, stepping up to face Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs), who is returning to the ring for the first time since his loss to Filip Hrgovic last year. Meanwhile, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) is set to take on Dave Allen (23-6-2, 18 KOs) in a matchup that many expect won’t last longer than 90 seconds.

At 122 pounds, Dennis McCann (16-0-1, 8 KOs) will face a tough challenge in Peter McGrail (10-1, 6 KOs), while Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs) moves up to meet Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 8 KOs).