Is Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undisputed heavyweight title bout postponed? Everything you need to know

Fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was expected to take place on December 23, 2023. However, recent developments in the boxing world have halted such preparations for the time being. The Usyk vs. Fury bout would determine the undisputed heavyweight champion, something not seen since Lennox Lewis’s reign.

The undefeated boxers are coming off victories in their recent bouts. Usyk recently secured a contentious knockout win against Daniel Dubois in August. However, Fury narrowly won a split decision in his bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Is Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk bout postponed?

Tyson Fury’s manager, Frank Warren, revealed their intention to schedule a fight against Oleksandr Usyk on December 23, following Fury’s match against Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Usyk had recently won a contentious knockout victory against Daniel Dubois. In the fifth round of their match, Dubois’ body shot was controversially ruled as a low blow. Despite this setback, Usyk managed to recover and ultimately secured a knockout victory in the ninth round.

On the other hand, Tyson Fury scraped off a close-fought split-decision victory over Francis Ngannou. Ngannou surprisingly scored a knockdown on Fury in the third round. Nevertheless, Fury won against a surprisingly skilled boxer in Ngannou. Fury was badly hurt in the bout, as evidenced by the facial injuries he suffered in the bout, which were clearly visible after the end of the bout.

The Fury Camp regarded the bout against Ngannou as an easy victory. Nevertheless, the injuries incurred during the match against Fury resulted in the postponement of their scheduled bout against Usyk in December. According to sources, Mike Coppinger of ESPN has confirmed that the Usyk vs. Fury fight has been rescheduled for February 17 in Riyadh. The main event on December 23 will be the light heavyweight title fight between Dmitry Bivol and Lyndon Arthur.

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk boxing record details

Tyson Fury currently holds the title of WBC heavyweight champion, which he achieved by defeating Deontay Wilder in a highly anticipated rematch known as Unfinished Business. He gained recognition by defeating Wladimir Klitschko and subsequently winning the IBF, WBO, WBA, and Ring heavyweight titles. Fury’s battle with substance abuse and depression led to his decision to relinquish the titles he had previously attained. Anthony Joshua subsequently emerged victorious over Klitschko, thus securing the vacant titles.

Fury currently holds a professional boxing record of 34 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. He successfully defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) title on three occasions, defeating formidable opponents such as Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, and Derek Chisora. Fury is ranked 6th in the pound-for-pound rankings by the Boxing Writers Association of America, Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and ESPN.

Oleksandr Usyk had a credentialed amateur career of 335 wins and 15 losses before turning pro. Moreover, Usyk won the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics in the heavyweight division, while Anthony Joshua won the same in the super heavyweight division. After turning pro, Usyk would become the undisputed champion in the cruiserweight division. Only nine boxers have become undisputed boxing champions in the four-belt era.

Usyk’s professional record stands at 21 wins and 0 losses. After becoming the undisputed champion in the cruiserweight division, he defeated Anthony Joshua to win the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles. He would defend the titles two times against Joshua and Daniel Dubois. The Ring magazine, the Boxing Writers Association of America, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and ESPN rank Usyk as 3rd in their respective pound-for-pound rankings.

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