08 February 2024 , 10:44
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Oleksandr Usyk will demand he fights on May 18 - even if Tyson Fury pulls out of their fight for a third time.
Usyk and Fury were in the final days of preparation for their undisputed heavyweight world title fight next weekend when Fury pulled out last Friday after suffering a cut above his right eye in sparring. The fight has been rescheduled for a second time having previously been slated to take place on December 23.
Usyk had flirted with the idea of convincing leading heavyweight contender and the Ukrainian's mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic to replace Fury but instead the original fight was moved. But Usyk is not willing to miss out on another fight date and could face the Croatian if Fury fails to make the first bell.
"In case he [Fury] withdraws from the fight, a replacement should be foreseen in advance," said Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk. "In case, for some reason, he has a cut on his heel or anything, a fight will take place under any circumstances." Asked how close he was to securing a deal with Hrgovic, Krassyuk added: "In my heart it was already done and with Oleksandr it was almost done as well, but it's up to the Saudis to decide because it's their show. They are organising it and it's their decision, we did everything we could to save the show. we saw reports saying Filip Hrgovic was ready to take the fight but it is what it is. We are now preparing for May 18, whomever the opponent is."
Fury has returned home to Morecambe after having 11 stitches on his cut. He is expected to return to Saudi Arabia to resume his training camp while Usyk will fly home to Ukraine to see his newborn daughter before setting up camp back in Valencia ahead of the rescheduled date.
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Fury and Usyk have been on a collision course since the latter outpointed Anthony Joshua for a second time in 2022. They were pencilled into meet on April 29 last year at Wembley but talks fell apart at the 11th hour. Their December date was pushed back when Fury struggled to beat former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh last October.