Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s fight ‘could happen as early as December’, claims Gypsy King’s promoter Bob Arum – who insists the bout ‘will happen sooner rather than later’

According to Bob Arum, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury could meet in an undisputed heavyweight championship before the end of the year or in 2024.

Arum, the head of Top Rank, is promoting WBC champion Fury’s upcoming fight against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28.

But the 91-year-old boxing promoter believes it will be relatively easy to get Fury in the ring against Ukraine’s Usyk, the IBF, WBA and WBO champion.

Arum told Sky Sports: ‘It won’t be difficult to make. I know the Usyk people, they are nice people. His manager, his promoter, they’re great people.

‘Usyk himself is a great guy. I think he wants that fight. I think that fight is going to happen and hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later.”

Fury previously had no interest in a joint title bid as he prepares to face Francis Ngannou

Usyk retained his world heavyweight titles in August by stopping Daniel Dubois in Poland

When pressed for a date, he replied, “Probably early next year, but it could also happen as early as December.’

The boxing promoter added: “I would love to see him (Fury) fight Usyk. I think once he fights Usyk, and assuming he beats Usyk, he’ll take a victory lap, maybe two more fights, and let the younger guys take over.”

It contradicts a previous claim that Fury has no interest in fighting Usyk, and Fury’s suggestion that he will continue fighting other names from the world of MMA, such as Jon Jones, once the Ngannou fight is completed.

Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland last month to retain his world heavyweight titles, but there will still be demand to see him take the WBC crown from Fury as well.