Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stand a mere eight days from battle as both men aim to claim a different version of the same throne.
For “The Gypsy King” Fury, the undisputed heavyweight title is up for grabs. It’s a crown Fury claims he doesn’t care about, but one he would undoubtedly milk if achieved. Usyk’s chance of overtaking Naoya Inoue as the Pound-for-pound number one is genuine.
Usyk could become a two-weight undisputed four-belt champion, mimicking Terence Crawford and Inoue in recent years. However, the feat of unifying all the straps at 200 pounds and then doing the same at heavyweight is unrivaled since Evander Holyfield. The gap in weight can be astronomical compared to what Crawford and Inoue achieved. Therefore, Usyk taking on and defeating Fury, one of the top division stars of this era, has to be recognized for its significance.
Getting Fury inside those ropes has been challenging for Usyk and his team. There were times when the Ukrainian was worried Fury would bail out for good and still might.
“I was worried about Tyson Fury, that there might be injuries. That our fight might not take place. If he was performing, I think he deserves an Oscar,” Usyk told TNT Sports.
“It has to happen because we have a contract. It’s a problem only for Tyson Fury. Tyson Fury signed a contract, so he has to fight.”
On his preparation, Usyk added: “I feel incredible, as good as I did at the 2012 Olympic Games. Just as young and energetic, with a big desire to move forward.
“It’s the most important fight of my career, my sports career, and my sporting life. I want to say that my victory is the victory of the entire Ukrainian people, and defeat is personal. It has been an incredible journey. I can do anything now.”
Promoter Alexander Krassyuk spoke to World Boxing News in an exclusive interview. He said: “Theoretically, the rematch should happen before the end of 2024. However, we all know that Tyson is not the world’s best’ rematch-er,'” Krassyuk told WBN. “And after he loses to Usyk in the first bout, you cannot predict his behavior at all.
“I say this, but I have no guarantee that the first fight will occur. The man has withdrawn four times in a row already. We have even decided to stop all the jokes and criticisms towards Luke to support his confidence. So if there is anything else we can do to help him get in the ring with Usyk, we are ready to do that.”
If the fight goes ahead on May 18 and Usyk is victorious, there’s a real chance a new king of the sport will take his place at the helm.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
