We don’t know if we’ll see a fun fight between Tyson’s Fury It is Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (DAZN Pay-Per-View).
We don’t know which Fury will show up, the one who has dominated for the last decade or the one who fell face first against Francis Ngannou in his most recent fight. And we don’t know if the skilled Usyk can make up for his size disadvantage against his 6-foot-5 opponent.
The only thing we know? This is big.
An undisputed heavyweight champion will be crowned for the first time – barring unforeseen circumstances since Lennox Lewis defeated fellow Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield in 1999, a quarter of a century ago. The winner can be considered the best of their time.
And Fury and Usyk have certainly earned the right to fight for boxing’s biggest prize, as neither has lost a single fight. Usyk’s record is perfect (21-0, 14 KOs). Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) has a draw.
Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter and boxing institution, has been in many big fights. He knows one when he sees one.
“In boxing, there is a saying that the most important division is the heavyweight division,” he said at the final press conference on Thursday. “When we have the opportunity to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion, as we will on Saturday night, it is very, very meaningful.
“The last fighter to be crowned undisputed champion is sitting in the audience. It happened 25 years ago. Lennox Lewis became the undisputed heavyweight champion. Saturday night will be a very, very important night for boxing because not only will we be crowning the undisputed heavyweight champion, but both participants in the fight have never, ever lost a fight. Now how rare is that?
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MAY 16: Tyson Fury reacts alongside Oleksandr Usyk ahead of the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO undisputed heavyweight world title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at BLVD City – Music World on May 16, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Fury nearly lost in his last fight, a split decision over the MMA star-turned-boxer on October 28. He had to get up from a knockdown in the third round to raise his hand, which opened up the opportunity against Usyk.
He clearly understands the magnitude of the event. And he made it clear that he is better prepared for this challenge than the one in October.
“I’m on top of the world, baby!” he said earlier in the week. “Who wouldn’t be enjoying it? I am in the great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is the main event. It’s the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.”
He added on Thursday: ““I’m ready. I have nothing to say other than I’m ready for a good fight. And whether it’s hard or easy, either way, I’ll be ready.”
Usyk, a talented Ukrainian coach, tries to become undisputed champion of the second division. The 2012 Olympic champion ruled the 200-pound weight class from 2016 to 2019 before moving up to heavyweight, where he is 5-0.
He surpassed Anthony Joshua to win three of four major titles in December 2021 and defeated Joshua again 11 months later.
He didn’t have much to say at Thursday’s press conference, but he captured the moment with a comment: “Let’s make history.”
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