For the first time in his illustrious career, Tyson Fury finds himself in the unfamiliar position of having to bounce back from a defeat.

The British heavyweight was bested by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in their first encounter for the undisputed heavyweight championship, a fight that saw Fury struggling particularly in the ninth round, ultimately losing via split decision.

In the wake of the loss, questions arose about the effectiveness of Fury’s corner team. The Gypsy King received instructions from multiple voices—SugarHill Steward, Andy Lee, and his father, John Fury—leading to a chaotic corner environment.

Despite this, Hall of Fame fighter turned manager Barry McGuigan believes that Fury will retain his current team for the rematch.

“I would expect him to show loyalty to the corner,” McGuigan told Seconds Out. “He’s had that corner for quite a while, and he’s been successful.

Why would he change it? He’s done very well as a heavyweight champion. He’s been around a long time. He’s served the sport well and earned a lot of money.”

Despite acknowledging Fury’s past successes, McGuigan is not optimistic about the rematch. He predicts that Usyk will capitalize on his previous performance and potentially finish the fight early this time.

“Will he beat Usyk? Never, as far as I’m concerned,” McGuigan stated. “I don’t mean that in a nasty way; I’m just saying Usyk has his number. He was lucky to get through the fight. It could’ve been stopped. I don’t think he’s going to do any better.

I’m not God and I can’t say who’s going to win fights, I’m only guessing as we all are. But my guess is that, judging on his performance last time, I don’t think he’s going to be any more effective against Usyk. I think Usyk this time will probably stop him.”

Despite McGuigan’s doubts, Fury remains confident. He believes that the spells of success he experienced in the first fight can be built upon. Fury is determined to make adjustments and prove his doubters wrong when he faces Usyk again on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The rematch promises to be a defining moment in Fury’s career. As he prepares to step back into the ring, the boxing world watches with bated breath to see if The Gypsy King can reclaim his throne or if Usyk will solidify his dominance in the heavyweight division.