On February 17, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will square off for the title of undisputed heavyweight champion. Until recently, fans had thought that the bout would take place right away.
Previously, the inclusion of a contracted second fight had been a sticking point in the negotiations between the two heavyweight world champions.
The promotional force that convinced both champions to sign is here: Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Season. According to reports, the loser could still be eligible to participate in a rematch.
That was before Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou’s impending bout was announced, and Saudi Arabia’s Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment, declared that the winner would challenge for the undisputed title.
The preparations cast doubt on earlier rumors that the IBF will strip the winner of the fight for failing to fulfill his required requirement against the top challenger, Filip Hrgovic, and hint that Fury and Usyk may not be fighting again.
In a recent news piece, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman gave a preview of the fight, stating that there “will be a chapter two.”
“This year, there are already two major events scheduled. In less than a month, Riyadh will host the highly awaited fight—the most significant heavyweight match in at least 25 years—called “Ring of Fire.” It is a match for the undisputed title, with the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles up for grabs. against February 17, British fighter Tyson Fury, our champion, takes against Oleksandr Usyk. There will be a second chapter to this great story, even with the stipulation of a rematch. The battle has received official sanction. Lennox Lewis, the former Undisputed heavyweight champion, will be the guest of honor and represent the WBC in announcing the new Undisputed champion.
Sulaiman stated that the winner of the Joshua-Ngannou bout would have “immediate plans,” although he did not elaborate on what those intentions would be.
“The most crucial fight of their lives is the “Knockout Chaos” card on March 8, which pits Anthony Joshua against Francis Ngannou. The winner will get special access to plans in the Kingdom.
Fans won’t likely understand the plans until after both fights are finished. Previous statements from Fury state that he will give up all titles except the WBC and Ring Magazine titles.
