Tyson Fury is reportedly set to face Oleksandr Usyk in March in Saudi Arabia. The Gypsy King will be hoping for a better result than Anthony Joshua’s Middle Eastern showdown with the Ukrainian two months ago.
The fight was originally being targeted for February ahead of the WBO’s mandatory order for Joe Joyce in March. However, according to ESPN’s boxing insider Mike Coppinger, it will likely be delayed by a month.
Coppinger told Max on Boxing: “I think all along Fury wanted to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship. It’s a massive fight and I’m told that there are still talks going on for Fury to fight Usyk in Saudi Arabia in March for all four belts.
“Fury saw Joshua as a tune-up I suppose, Fury doesn’t think Joshua presented much of a challenge and Chisora seemed to be the only guy available that had a big name in the UK. As you said, he’s a credible opponent but the problem is that Fury has already beaten him twice, so who really wants to see that again? As a tune-up for Usyk I don’t mind it, I do think we get that fight and I don’t know where Joshua goes from here.”
Joshua, meanwhile, will box again in January or February 2023 against a ‘credible top 15 opponent’ according to promoter Eddie Hearn. Otto Wallin and Dillian Whyte are believed to be frontrunners with Gerald Washington and Chris Arreola also confirming that approaches have been made to acquire their services.