BREAKING NEWS: Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk sign contracts for an undisputed heavyweight title fight ‘which will take place in Saudi Arabia either on December 23 or in January’
- Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight confirmed
- The battle will take place in Saudi Arabia ‘on December 23 or in January’
- Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp channel: receive the latest news and exclusive offers here
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have signed contracts to set up an undisputed heavyweight championship fight in Saudi Arabia.
Fury will face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in October and in his next bout he will face Usyk to unify the WBC, IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.
The fight will take place in Saudi Arabia, but no date has been confirmed yet.
ESPN has reported that the fight could take place on December 23 or in January of next year.
Fury had previously suggested he saw no benefit in taking on Usyk to unify the titles.
Tyson Fury is set to put his WBC heavyweight title on the line when he takes on Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia
Usyk currently holds the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles and retained them against Daniel Dubois in August
He told Mail Sport: ‘I’m not interested in fighting Usyk. He is a small Ukrainian dosser. That’s all he is to me. No interest in uniting the divisions. It means nothing to me.
“All this stuff about uniting and whatever, it really doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m looking for the biggest payday. Usually Usyk doesn’t make it.’
However, on Friday afternoon he shared a photo confirming that an undisputed clash between himself and Usyk had been signed.
The ‘Gypsy King’ has held the WBC heavyweight title since 2020, while Usyk won his titles in his first win over Anthony Joshua in September 2021.
“Glad to finally get this fight signed,” said Fury’s promoter Frank Warren, “This is the biggest fight that can possibly be had in our sport.
“The heavyweights always capture the imagination of fans and I have no doubt this will be the biggest boxing event of the century.
“I look forward to Tyson regaining the three belts he never lost in the ring.”
Usyk, who has defeated Anthony Joshua twice, currently holds the IBF, WBO and WBA titles and successfully defended them against Daniel Dubois in August.
“Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are the two greatest heavyweights of their generation, and I can’t wait to see what happens when they step into the ring in Riyadh,” said Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter in the US.
Fury will fight former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia next month
Usyk retained his heavyweight titles after beating Daniel Dubois in Poland last month
‘They are special talents who are worthy of competing for the biggest prize in sport.’
“I can’t believe it’s happening, but it is,” said Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk.
“It’s hard to express my admiration for being part of the biggest heavyweight fight of the century. Respect to Tyson for his courage and thank the Lord for all he gives us.”
The winner of the Fury vs. Usyk fight will become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999, and the first in the four-belt era.