08 March 2024 , 12:00
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Tyson Fury’s undisputed world heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk will take place on May 18.
The much-hyped encounter had originally been due to take place in Saudi Arabia last month but was postponed after the Briton suffered a “freak cut” above the eye in training 15 days before all the heavyweight belts were set to be on the line. Fury has dispelled fears of a repeat with an appearance in Riyadh ahead of Anthony Joshua fighting Francis Ngannou, who lost a split decision to Fury in October.
“It is healing good. I am not concerned. I never was concerned about the cut,” Fury told DAZN. “From cut date to fight date was 15 weeks. A cut heals in about eight or nine weeks so I had plenty of time and if the cut opens in the fight, so f*** it! If it opens in the fight, there will be blood everywhere and so what? Don’t stop the fight. Let it continue because it’s an undisputed heavyweight championship fight. When I start camp at the end of March, I’ll be ready for sparring.”
A new date was quickly rearranged to ensure the first undisputed world heavyweight bout of the century would still take place in 2024. Fury hit back at his critics and insisted he would beat Usyk, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, before facing the winner of Joshua versus Ngannou.
“There are so many belts on the line and nothing competes with that,” WBC champion Fury said. “This is the fight of the ages, nothing can compare with this. Not a show fight, not a crossover fight, not YouTube boxing, nothing. This is two undefeated world heavyweight championships colliding for all the belts and it hasn’t been done since whenever.
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"Both guys fighting have beat everybody else so this is it. Whoever wins this fight is the best of this era regardless of what anyone’s opinion is or what anyone wants to say. Whoever wins out of me and Usyk is the best of this era.”
Fury and Usyk have a rematch clause in their fight contract but the winner could instead face the victor from Joshua's clash with Ngannou.