Tyson Fury is 'UNLIKELY' to face Oleksandr Usyk this year
Tyson Fury is ‘UNLIKELY’ to face Oleksandr Usyk this year, reveals promoter Frank Warren as Gypsy King ‘needs time’ after Francis Ngannou gave ‘one of the toughest fights of the last decade’
- Warren revealed that Fury will need ‘time’ after the ‘tough fight’ with Ngannou
- Gypsy King retained his unbeaten record with a win by split decision in Riyadh
- Oleksandr Usyk took to the ring post-fight to face-off with Fury ahead of clash
Frank Warren has revealed that Tyson Fury is ‘unlikely’ to face Oleksandr Usyk this year.
After a controversial win over MMA fighter Francis Ngannou, Fury will most likely face Ukrainian fighter Usyk ‘early next year’ according to Warren.
With discussions between the two undefeated fighters lasting almost a year, a fight date later in 2023 between Fury and Usyk was eventually penned in September.
But despite an original date of 23 December, it is looking more likely to be the start of 2024.
The pair had been in talks to fight last year before being locked in talks this March – with Usyk even agreeing to a 70-30 split of the prize purse – though negotiations for the showdown were later abandoned.
After a controversial win over Ngannou, Fury will most likely face Usyk ‘early next year’
Frank Warren claims Tyson Fury is ‘unlikely’ to face Oleksandr Usyk before the end of the year
Fury won by split decision, after fans were outraged that Francis Ngannou was ‘robbed’
Speaking to BBC 5Live Boxing podcast, promoter Warren expressed that ‘Tyson can’t be going into a camp after a tough fight like that. That’s eight weeks away.
‘He needs at least a bit of time to get himself, his body, back into shape. Let it heal. Then get into a camp. It will be on early next year.
A fight against Fury, which would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, would form part of ‘Riyadh Season’ – an entertainment events festival held in Saudi Arabia’s capital every winter since 2019.
”Riyadh season’ finishes in March, so [Fury-Usyk] could take place up until March,’ Warren said.
Frank Warren recently hit back at suggestions that Fury was reluctant to fight Usyk, accusing the Ukrainian’s team of spreading ‘propaganda’.
In September Fury’s team announced that a deal had finally been struck – with Warren claiming they had only done so to stop the news being leaked early.
Usyk had previously claimed Fury was ‘afraid’ of him after opting to face Ngannou instead and mocking him for facing ‘someone who has never boxed before’.
It’s not the first time Usyk or his team have accused Fury of avoiding a fight that would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
A fight against Fury, which would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, would form part of ‘Riyadh Season’
Usyk and Fury have finally signed for an undisputed fight following long drawn-out talks
Frank Warren recently hit back at suggestions that Fury was reluctant to fight Usyk, accusing the Ukrainian’s team of spreading ‘propaganda’.
Usyk, holding the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, was present at the ringside in Riyadh, and the two fighters met in the ring following the match.
The Fury-Ngannou bout was also part of the ‘Riyadh Season,’ with reports indicating that the Saudi Arabian government paid substantial sums to host this crossover fight.
Nonetheless, Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in international sports has sparked controversy.
Their pursuit of hosting prestigious sporting events, such as boxing matches, an annual Formula 1 race, and a bid for the 2034 World Cup, has drawn scrutiny due to the country’s human rights record.
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