The long-awaited heavyweight unification fight between world boxing champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been rescheduled a day after being canceled on Friday.
The boxing highlight between the British Tyson Fury and the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk scheduled for February 17th cannot take place as planned. Fury’s promoter Queensberry confirmed this on Friday evening. Almost 24 hours later, a new date for the spectacle has been set.
According to Queensberry, Fury and Usyk will now enter the ring in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on May 18th, a good three months later than initially planned.
Fury suffered a deep cut above his eye during sparring in preparation for the fight. An injury that made it impossible to take part in the fight originally scheduled for February 17th.
“I’m absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such great shape,” Fury responded according to ESPN: “I feel bad for everyone involved in this big event and I will work diligently towards a new appointment as soon as the eye has healed.”
Tyson Fury apologizes “to all those affected”
And further: “I can only apologize to everyone affected, including my own team, Team Usyk, the fighters, partners and fans in the opening act as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
According to his manager Egis Klimas, Usyk’s reaction was brief: “When they broke the news to Oleksandr, he just smiled. That’s all he did. He’s too mentally strong to break,” Klimas admitted on “Ring TV.” Protocol.
The rescheduling in more than three months also coincides with the assessment of a former Fury cutman. “I would say that it takes at least 90 days to recover from a cut in sparring,” Jorge Capetillo recently indicated in an interview with “Betway” about a longer break for his former protégé.
WBC world champion Fury (35 fights, 34 wins, one draw) would like to be crowned undisputed world champion against WBA, WBO and IBF champion Usyk (21 fights, 21 wins).