Boxing
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: Fight date, venue and all you need to know
Tyson Fury is now looking to face Oleksandr Usyk after witnessing him defeat Anthony Joshua
Tyson Fury has continued to let his team know that he is now seemingly interested in fighting Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight unification bout after the Ukrainian defeated Anthony Joshua on Saturday evening.
Usyk remains atop of the boxing pound-for-pound rankings after the victory over the Brit, and although Fury has numerously stated that he would retire, it seems he’ll now return to face the heavyweight champion.
Usyk was awarded Fury’s Ring Magazine title after the win this past weekend, which Fury was forced to vacate after speaking on retirement. But talks are already underway for the two to face one another, in what would be one of the more highly anticipated heavyweight bouts since in recent history.
Odds have already been released showing a clear favourite in the fight, with a date and venue already being earmarked – which could see the bout happening as early as this year.
Here is all you need to know on what has been said on the potential fight so far:
Date and venue
It has been revealed that talks are already underway to see the Gypsy King return to action after Usyk defeated Joshua on Saturday night, winning in convincing fashion to reclaim the WBA, IBF and WBO whilst also taking the vacant Ring Magazine title, given up by Fury.
It comes after Fury has once again reversed his decision to call time on his boxing career to challenge Usyk. The Daily Mail has reported that a fight date has been ‘pencilled in’ for December 17 in Saudi Arabia – the night before the World Cup final in Qatar.
Prince Mohammad Abdulaziz, the Saudi minister for sport, confirmed: “We are very interested in the fight for the undisputed heavyweight title. We are looking to do that in the city of Riyadh.”
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has confirmed it is extremely unlikely the fight will be held in the UK. “At the end of the day, it’s where the most money can be generated,” he said.
“There would [be huge demand to have it in the UK], but where would you put it on? We wouldn’t be able to put it on until next year.
“It’s no good going to the Millennium Stadium, it doesn’t hold the same amount of people as Wembley does and can’t generate the same money.
“If it were to go on in the UK it needs to be Wembley and it can’t go on until the end of April or May next year.
“We want to get it on before then. While everybody is hot to trot and there are no mandatories force on in the meantime.”
What has been said
Oleksandr Usyk
Speaking after his victory over Joshua, Usyk confirmed he’ll look to fight Fury, who could retire. He said: “The fight with Fury is the only one I want. If that doesn’t happen I may not fight again. But I do believe we are going to fight each other soon.”
Tyson Fury
They were s*** and I’d beat them both on the same night’ — then proclaiming: ‘The Gypsy King is here to stay for ever so get your f****** cheque book out.”
Warren
Warren told BBC Radio 5 live on Monday: “He and Usyk would be a really good fight. It’s a fight that I think will be made because both teams would like to see that happen. Usyk said after the fight that it’s the only fight he’s interested in and it’s certainly the same case with Tyson. It’s just a matter of where it will generate the most income because it’s a unique fight, a historic fight.
“It’s the first time for God knows how long that the four belts are on the line. Both fighters are undefeated. The whole world of boxing will be captivated by this fight.”
Bob Arum
Taking to social media, Fury’s American promoter said: “Top Rank and our co-promoter, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, are hopeful we can make the biggest heavyweight championship fight since Ali fought Frazier…. Fury vs. Usyk.”
-MEN
Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title belt on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, Ring Magazine announced on Friday.
The Ukrainian three-times undisputed champion holds the IBF, WBA and WBC titles after vacating the WBO belt.
The 39-year-old has not boxed since beating Britain’s Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last July.
“I respect his (Verhoeven’s) journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings,” said Usyk, who has a 24-0 record.
“I’m ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
The ‘Glory in Giza’ fight will be streamed live on DAZN.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven, 36, told The Ring.
“But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger; it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed champion in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
Verhoeven has sparred in the past with former champion Tyson Fury and had one professional bout in 2014, which he won by a knockout.
-Reuters
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off in a professional rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix, the fighters and promoters announced on Monday.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return from retirement and will be the first professional boxing match held at the Sphere.
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
That bout generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” Mayweather said in a statement.
Pacquiao, whose record stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts, expressed confidence he would hand Mayweather his first professional loss.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” the Filipino fighter said.
The rematch will stream to Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers worldwide, continuing the platform’s push into live boxing.
The streaming platform has recently broadcast several high-profile fights, including Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the company said drew 108 million live global viewers
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Former multi-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather will come out of retirement this year for his first official fight in nearly a decade, his new promotion CSI Sports/Fight Sports said on Friday, though his opponent has yet to be decided.
Before his official return, Mayweather is set for an exhibition bout with fellow boxing great Mike Tyson, with the date and venue still to be announced.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing – from my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards – no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event – than my events,” Mayweather, 48, said in a statement on his new promotion’s website.
It will mark the American’s fourth comeback from retirement, following previous exits in 2007, 2015 and 2017 — the last after beating Conor McGregor to extend his record to 50-0. He has, however, fought several exhibitions since.
Across a three-decade career, Mayweather defeated many of his era’s top fighters and headlined the three highest‑grossing bouts in history, against Manny Pacquiao, McGregor and Canelo Alvarez.
-Reuters
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