Heavyweight boxing icons Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have signed contracts to fight in Saudi Arabia, with the first unification fight in 24 years officially on for later in the year. Fury will take on his Ukrainian opponent following his upcoming clash against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
The fight will take place in Saudi Arabia as part of the Kingdom’s season of sport, with the aim being to coincide the mega clash with the final of the football World Club Cup.
The deal for the fight will see both boxers compete for the undisputed heavyweight championship. The championship is awarded to the holder of all four of boxing’s major sanctioning bodies: WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
Fury is the current WBC heavyweight champion, while Usyk holds the IBF World Heavyweight, WBO World Heavyweight and WBA Super World Heavyweight championships. The fight would therefore see the winner claim one of boxing’s most prestigious honors.
News of the fight has since been confirmed by Fury’s promoter, and founder of Queensberry Promotions, Frank Warren. Warren posted on X to confirm the news, saying: “This is the biggest fight that could possibly be made in our sport. Thank you to His Excellency @Turki_alalshikh and the GEA.”
Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk has also weighed in, saying: “I can’t believe that it’s happening but it is. Respect to Tyson for his courage.”
Before the highly anticipated fight, Fury will first face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. The pair will lock horns in Saudi Arabia after the Gypsy King called out his opponent via social media. The bout will not go against either fighter’s record but will still be contested under official boxing rules.
Before the highly anticipated fight, Fury will first face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. The pair will lock horns in Saudi Arabia after the Gypsy King called out his opponent via social media. The bout will not go against either fighter’s record but will still be contested under official boxing rules.
The fight will be Fury’s first since defeating Deontay Wilder in the pair’s trilogy bout via an eleventh-round knockout. The bout will be Usyk’s last since recording a knock-out win over Daniel Dubois.
Wilder is free to take on an opponent after beating Robert Helenius via knock-out back in 2022. Joshua is also available coming off the back of a knock-out win against the same opponent.
The fight sees any chance of Fury facing Anthony Joshua in an all-British clash thrown away despite the pair having been strongly linked with an all-star bout in recent years. But, the news does open a door to see American boxer Deontay Wilder face the Brit.
Speaking after the win, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn all but confirmed the bout. “I think he can beat Deontay Wilder comfortably but he can also get beat by Wilder,” he said back in August. “The good thing was he got seven rounds in against a tall opponent. It’s difficult to replicate the power of Wilder but I’ve always felt that ‘AJ’ can outbox Wilder. I would like to see him box Wilder and try to break him down.
“You’re not going to really see the best of ‘AJ’ in fights against [Jermaine] Franklin and Helenius. It’s why he chose Dillian Whyte, because it was a fight he wanted and could get up for. We know that the Wilder fight would probably land in January, but he’s not just putting all of his hopes on that fight. Everything we’re hearing from every side is that fight is going ahead.”