First the plan was December, then February, now May. Tyson Fury’s big planned boxing match against Oleksandr Usyk is moving on.
Actually, all eyes should be on Riyadh on Saturday evening. Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk. The Saudi Arabian capital was to be the site of one of the biggest battles in recent years. But the spectacle had to be postponed at short notice, again.
Fury received a cut above his right eye during training, which required eleven stitches in the hospital. “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long,” Fury was quoted as saying by the AP news agency. He feels “bad” for everyone involved in this big event. “I will work diligently towards a new date,” the 35-year-old continued. Instead of Saturday, the fight will now take place on May 18th.
The new date is already the third for the duel between the Brit and the Ukrainian. Both were originally scheduled to fight on December 23rd. However, Fury also suffered a cut in the exhibition fight against Francis Ngannou in October and needed a break. Previously, disagreements regarding the monetary distribution almost led to the negotiations being broken off. Usyk even missed the birth of his fourth child due to preparation for the February date. Many fans are wondering whether the fight won’t end completely.
No management would risk that
Boxing expert and manager Bernd Bönte does not believe in a cancellation. He told the German Press Agency: “All theories that exist about this belong in the rumor mill. If Tyson Fury wasn’t fit for this first date, then he will certainly be fit for the second. But a cut injury can always happen.”
Given the magnitude of the test of strength, no management would risk dealing with such a fresh injury. “It’s logical that you shouldn’t go into a fight like this with an injury to your face,” said Bönte. “The tear has been stitched up, but it has to heal, otherwise it could burst open again with the first blow and bring about a quick end to the fight.”
The reward for the winner is great. For the first time since Lennox Lewis 25 years ago, either Fury or Usyk can become the so-called “Undisputed Champion” in the premier weight class. The winner combines all major heavyweight world championship titles from the most important associations. Fury holds the WBC belt, Usyk the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles. Because of this constellation alone, boxing fans around the world are longing for the duel. Promoter Frank Warren spoke of the “biggest boxing event of the century”.
“I just want to fight”
In any case, it’s a lot of money. According to several media reports, Fury will receive more than 100 million euros, while Usyk will receive significantly less. “Money is just a side effect,” explained Usyk in an interview with the British “Sun”. “I just want to fight, I want to become the undisputed champion.”
The unconventional Brit Fury is considered a positive, crazy entertainer who creates problems for his opponents with his reach. In the past, he has repeatedly struggled outside the ring with problems such as depression and drug use. In 2015, Fury surprisingly defeated Wladimir Klitschko and became world champion. He later renounced all titles, returned in 2018 and won the WBC title. The 37-year-old Usyk defeated Anthony Joshua in 2021 and 2022 and took the world championship belt from him.
Now the boxing world is looking to the new date in Riyadh. And continues to worry about whether the duel will take place.