- Heavyweight Bout | 12 Rounds
- Date: May 18 2024
- Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Ring of Fire: Fury takes on Usyk in undisputed heavyweight clash
Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia hosts one of the biggest fights in boxing history when Fury and Usyk, both undefeated in the professional ranks, compete to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Britain’s Lennox Lewis, and the first undisputed heavyweight champion to hold four belts. The bout was originally scheduled for February 17, however, after a training injury to Fury, it was rescheduled for May 18.
Fury’s last competitive outing was in November when he beat MMA legend Francis Ngannou in a split decision, while Usyk beat Daniel Dubois in August.
Tyson Fury
Fury has held the WBC heavyweight title since 2020. Previously, the “Gypsy King” held the unified heavyweight titles from 2015 to 2016, and the Ring magazine title twice between 2015 and 2022. He also held the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title during his first reign as champion. His victory over Deontay Wilder saw Fury become the third heavyweight to hold the Ring Magazine title twice, emulating Floyd Patterson and Muhammed Ali.
His latest victory, over Ngannou, was, however, unconvincing and it is generally accepted that Fury will need to be in better condition and perform better if he is to overcome Usyk.
Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk has held the the unified heavyweight titles since 2021, and the Ring magazine title since 2022. The Ukrainian also has held the IBO title since 2021.
As well as his achievements in the heavyweight division, Usyk is regarded as one of the greatest cruiserweights of all time. He became the first boxer in the cruiserweight division to hold all four major titles when he became undisputed champion between 2018 and 2019.
In 2021, Usyk’s defeat of Anthony Joshua, saw him join an exclusive club with Evander Holyfield and David Haye as the only three men to win a world heavyweight title and unify the cruiserweight world titles.
Usyk’s latest bout, against Dubois, was not without controversy. The Ukrainian retained his titles when he stopped his opponent in the ninth. However, in the fifth round Usyk went down following a punch from Dubois which was controversially ruled as a low blow by referee Luis Pabon. Usyk was given five minutes to recover, in accordance with the rules, and went on to win. Other than that, Usyk was well on top in the fight and forced the stoppage in the ninth. Many pundits, however, believe that the punch should have been ruled as legal.
Tale of the Tape
| Heavyweight | Tyson Fury | Oleksandr Usyk |
| Age | 35 | 37 |
| Height | 6’9” | 6’3″ |
| Weight | 278 lbs | 220 lbs |
| Reach | 85” | 78″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| Fights | 35 | 21 |
| Wins | 34– 0 – 1 | 21 – 0 – 0 |
| KO (%) | 24 (70.6%) | 14 (66.7%) |
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: Odds
Check out the latest odds for Fury vs Usyk.
Kingdom Arena, Riyadh
Prediction
This is undoubtedly the fight that boxing fans want to see and both men are, undoubtedly, great champions. Most pundits will agree that Usyk is the superior all round boxer. His achievements in two weight divisions place him among the all time greats of the sport. Fury though, is no slouch technically and is one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. It is, obviously, a fight that could go either way, but the sheer size and strength of the “Gypsy King” should be enough to see him through. Fury to win.
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