The championship bout for all heavyweight titles between the Ukrainian fighter and the British contender is set for May 18 in Riyadh.
On 29 September 2023, it was announced that Oleksandr Usyk, the world champion holding the WBO, WBA, IBO, and IBF titles, and Tyson Fury, the WBC champion, signed a contract for a super-heavyweight title fight.
The unification boxing match, initially scheduled for February 17, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was postponed to May 18 due to an injury sustained by the British fighter.
Originally scheduled for December 23, 2023, the boxing match between the Ukrainian fighter and the British contender was delayed after the British fighter, known as the 'Gypsy King', suffered an injury during a bout with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. Despite being knocked down, the British fighter won by a split decision against Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut.
The winner of the Usyk-Fury fight will go down in boxing history as the first fighter in the 21st century to become the undisputed world champion in the super-heavyweight division.
Lennox Lewis, the last undisputed heavyweight champion, won his title in 1999 by defeating Evander Holyfield, unifying the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. The WBO title wasn't fully recognized until 2007. Therefore, the victor of the upcoming fight between Usyk and Fury will be the first to claim absolute status with all four major titles in heavyweight boxing history.
Bookmakers are now taking bets on the championship fight between the Ukrainian and the British boxer for the undisputed title. For those looking to add some excitement to their betting experience, check out Stay Casino for great offers and promotions.
Bookmakers are now giving approximately equal odds for the upcoming fight between Usyk and Fury, indicating a shift in favouritism. The odds for a Fury win are set at 1.95, while Usyk's victory odds stand slightly lower at 1.90.
In the upcoming boxing match, a draw is considered the least likely outcome, with bookmakers setting the odds for this result at 15.00.
After the fight was postponed, bookmakers significantly adjusted their odds in favor of the Ukrainian boxer. Previously, bets on Fury's victory were offered at odds of 1.56, while Usyk's victory was priced at 2.50.
Bookmakers currently view Usyk's victory on points as the most likely outcome of the fight, with odds set at 3.00. They also offer odds of 6.00 for an early victory by Usyk.
Bookmakers have set the odds for a British victory by judge's decision at 3.30. Fury's chance of winning by knockout is estimated at 5.20.
The title fight for the absolute world champion is scheduled for May 18 in Saudi Arabia. Due to previous postponements, organizers have implemented strict measures. If a boxer is unable to participate on the scheduled date, he will face a substantial penalty, requiring him to pay $10 million in compensation.
The winner of the upcoming Usyk-Fury fight will be the first to become the absolute heavyweight champion since 1999. This historic event is notable as no fighter in the heavyweight division has yet managed to unify all four major titles simultaneously.
For Oleksandr Usyk, the bout with Fury marks his sixth fight in the heavyweight category. Before this, by 2018, Usyk had already made history in the cruiserweight division by unifying all four major titles, becoming the first boxer in the division's history to achieve such a feat.
Tyson Fury remains undefeated in his professional boxing career. The only blemish on his record is a draw in his first bout against Deontay Wilder, where no winner was declared.
Experts have different opinions on the outcome of the fight. Some, such as Hasim Rahman, believe in Usyk's victory, pointing to his speed and technique, which could be an advantage. Others, like Dereck Chisora, warn that Fury could lose due to an injury he suffered in training. On the other hand, Mike Tyson, while he recognises Usyk and his skills, believes that Fury will remain undefeated.
We shouldn't forget about the impact of physical fitness and psychological attitude of the boxers on the outcome of the fight. A lot depends on the day of the fight, and their teams are already actively preparing them for the most important fight of their careers. Everyone analyses the opponent in detail, develops strategies and prepares for different fight scenarios.
Thus, the expectations before this fight are huge. This is not only a competition for titles, but also a meeting of two great talents in the boxing world.
Different experts have their own predictions about how the fight will end, but the final decision will be made in the ring on 18 May.