Fury to face Usyk in undisputed title fight in Saudi
In December, after winning against Derek Chisora, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk had an encounter where they stood in front of each other.
A significant and undeniable heavyweight fight featuring Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, both champions, has been finalized and is set to happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
More information, such as the exact date of the fight, has not been disclosed yet.
At 35 years old, Fury from Britain is the current champion of WBC, while Ukraine's Usyk, who is 36, holds the titles of WBA, WBO, and IBF.
Frank Warren, the promoter of Queensbury, expressed his immense pleasure at the signed fight. He claimed that this particular fight is the most significant event that could take place in our sporting industry.
The victor will receive the title of the inaugural undisputed heavyweight champion during the time period when four belts are in circulation.
The expected day is the 23rd of December, although it's possible that the battle might get postponed until the beginning of next year.
Since Fury took on a professional boxing career in 2008, he has triumphed in 33 bouts and had just one draw.
Before 'The Gypsy King' can compete for a title, he needs to successfully complete an upcoming fight against Francis Ngannou - a well-known MMA fighter - on the 28th of October in Riyadh. It's important that he doesn't sustain any injuries during this non-title fight.
Usyk, who boasts an undefeated record of 21 victories in his professional boxing career, successfully safeguarded his championship titles against Daniel Dubois from London during their bout in August.
According to Warren, the big boys in boxing always capture the attention and excitement of supporters. He firmly believes this upcoming match will be the most significant boxing occurrence of the entire century.
Fury received negative feedback for not being able to negotiate an agreement with Usyk after a planned fight at Wembley Stadium in London didn't happen in April.
"It's just so unbelievable yet it's really coming true," expressed Alexander Krassyuk, the promoter of Usyk.
Since 1999, there hasn't been just one heavyweight boxing champion that everyone agrees on. The last time it happened was when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield and kept his WBA, WBC, and IBF belts.
Bob Arum, who promotes both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, stated that he is eagerly anticipating the outcome of their upcoming bout in Riyadh. Arum believes that the two are the most accomplished heavyweight boxers of their era and is excited to see what happens when they finally face off in the ring.
"They possess exceptional abilities that make them eligible to compete for the ultimate reward in the field of sports."
The battle is going to be included in the 'Riyadh Season', a celebration of fun-filled happenings occurring annually throughout the wintertime in the capital city of Saudi Arabia, which started in the year of 2019.
Several notable fights have taken place in Saudi Arabia in the past few years, such as Usyk's victory over Anthony Joshua in August 2022.
The nation of Gulf has been criticized for putting money into athletics and utilizing major competitions to enhance its global image.
People have spoken out against Saudi Arabia because of its violations of human rights. In one single day last year, 81 men were killed, which received much negative attention. There are also issues regarding women's rights, the prohibition of homosexuality, and limited freedom of speech. Additionally, many people are concerned about the conflict in Yemen in which Saudi Arabia is involved.
The reputation of the country worldwide took a major hit in 2018 when Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist from Saudi Arabia who lived in the United States and openly voiced his criticisms of the government, was murdered.
Advocates for human rights claim that the Saudi government is utilizing sport to deflect attention from their persistent reputation problems.
According to Felix Jakens, who is Amnesty International UK's head of priority campaigns and individuals at risk, the hosting of lucrative competitions in Saudi Arabia has become regular since Anthony Joshua's match against Andy Ruiz in 2019.
It is evident that the Saudi government is employing sport as a means to divert attention from their horrendous track record on human rights, which is a recurring trend that can be observed.
It would be great if Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk could use their influence to address the topic of human rights in Saudi Arabia.
Fury claimed his maiden global championship by toppling Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, and then took a break from boxing.
Following publicized struggles with his mental wellbeing, he made a comeback over two and a half years later. He went head-to-head with Deontay Wilder in a three-part competition and, after drawing in the first bout, succeeded in defeating the American in 2020, obtaining the title of WBC champion.
After beating the powerful Wilder in their third match, Fury has successfully maintained his championship by defeating fellow Brits Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora.
Usyk is an immensely accomplished boxer, who has earned numerous accolades and titles on a global scale. He claimed the coveted Olympic gold medal in the 2012 London Games, and later went on to become the unified world champion. Most recently, Usyk triumphantly dethroned Joshua, a fellow countryman, in 2021.
Winner Earns Greatness: An Analysis
It was unexpected news that took everyone by surprise, especially when it was announced on a Friday evening. The most highly anticipated battle in global boxing has finally been confirmed. Fury and Usyk have decided to bury the hatchet and join forces. It doesn't get any better than this!
Boxing enthusiasts have been dissatisfied with the heavyweight division's situation for quite some time. Why aren't the top fighters facing each other? Fury's bout against Ngannou, who is inexperienced in boxing, was especially disappointing.
Finally, we have the chance to identify the world's finest heavyweight boxer. Fury and Usyk are future hall of famers, but only the victorious fighter will achieve greatness.
Some people may still be curious as to why the date hasn't been announced yet. The planned date is December 23rd, but this would only give Fury eight weeks to train after his bout with Ngannou.
The Riyadh season is ongoing and will continue until March, which means that the match could happen anytime within the next six months. There may be people who have doubts persistently until the fighters are in the ring and the first round begins.
