BREAKING NEWS: Usyk v Fury Postponed!
The much anticipated fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk looks further away than ever.
The eagerly awaited battle for the undisputed heavyweight champion title between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is on pause because Tyson Fury got a cut while sparring. They were all set for a showdown in Saudi Arabia in the 'Ring of Fire' event on Saturday, February 17, which was supposed to light up live on Sky Sports Box Office, but now we're in a holding pattern.
This setback came about because Fury got what's been called a "freak cut" above his right eye that needed a lot of stitches and immediate medical care. Queensberry Promotions shared the details, saying, "The 'freak cut' opened up above Fury's right eye and required 'urgent medical attention and significant stitching'."
Poor Fury's been down this road before; he had a similar issue back in 2019 after his bout with Otto Wallin. He's pretty gutted about the delay, expressing, "I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such a superb condition. I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed. I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." He even dropped a hint on Instagram about his condition, saying, "Can't help getting injured in sparring but what I can say was Usyk was in trouble. I am in fantastic shape."
From the promotional side, Queensberry Promotions is clearly disappointed but looking ahead, noting, "Whilst this is still breaking news it is clearly a massive disappointment, after the work that has been done by so many people to finally deliver the historic event to the world. Once the doctors have appraised Tyson's eye, we will have a better idea of the period of recovery needed. Once known we will work diligently with all the stakeholders and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reschedule the fight as soon as possible and will of course keep everyone updated with developments."
The stakes for this fight are sky-high, with the winner set to be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Fury's record is nearly spotless at 34 wins and one draw, while Usyk boasts an unbeaten record.
Fury's journey to this point has been remarkable, including a triumphant return to the ring in 2018 and a couple of memorable wins against Deontay Wilder. Usyk has also impressed, especially since moving up to heavyweight and snagging wins against top-tier opponents like Anthony Joshua.
Everyone's bummed about the delay, but the anticipation just keeps building. Once Fury's eye is all healed up, and they set a new date, it's going to be an epic clash that's worth the wait.
Fury v Usyk Odds
Tyson Fury - 8/11
Oleksandr Usyk - 11/10
Draw - 20/1