Promoters confirmed on Friday that Tyson Fury will face Oleksandr Usyk in a historic undisputed heavyweight fight in Saudi Arabia. The date of the competition, which will be held in Riyadh, has yet to be revealed, while unsubstantiated rumours suggest it could take place on December 23 or early January. Ukraine’s Usyk owns the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titles, while Britain’s Fury holds the WBC title. The winner of the fight will become the four-belt era’s first undisputed heavyweight champion.
The winner of the bout will become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. “This is the biggest fight that could possibly be made in our sport,” said Fury’s promoter Frank Warren. “The heavyweights always spark the imagination of the fans, and I have no doubt this will be the biggest boxing event of the century.” Neither fighter has been beaten in their professional careers. Fury has won 33 fights with one draw since turning professional in 2008. Usyk has won all 21 of his bouts but defended his titles against Britain’s Daniel Dubois in a controversial fashion in August.
Fury’s proposed unification bout with Usyk at Wembley in April fell through, and the choice to hold the fight in Saudi Arabia is expected to draw criticism
Dubois claimed he was “cheated” out of victory after referee Luis Pabon judged in the fifth round that he had struck Usyk with a low blow, resulting in a lengthy wait. “I can’t believe it’s happening, but it is,” Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, said. “It’s difficult to express my gratitude for being a part of the greatest heavyweight fight of all time.” Tyson deserves credit for his bravery.” Fury, 35, is scheduled to face former UFC world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but his WBC belt will not be at stake. Fury’s proposed unification bout with Usyk at Wembley in April fell through, and the choice to hold the fight in Saudi Arabia is expected to draw criticism given the country’s security issues.
The Gulf state has staged a number of high-profile fights in recent years, including Usyk’s victory over Anthony Joshua last year in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on athletic events as part of a plan that critics call “sportswashing.” Last year, the conservative monarchy executed 81 people in a single day, criminalised homosexuality, and sparked international outrage when journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.