Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Heavyweight Title Fight Postponed
The undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will be postponed after Fury suffered a cut above his right eye in training, Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, told Sports Illustrated on Friday.
Fury and Usyk were scheduled to fight Feb. 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk’s team is seeking a new opponent in the hopes of preserving the date. Filip Hrgović, the mandatory challenger for one version of Usyk’s heavyweight titles, is interested in stepping in, a source told SI. Other options could include Joseph Parker, who defeated Deontay Wilder in December, and Zhilei Zhang, the Chinese heavyweight who scored back-to-back knockout wins over Joe Joyce in 2023.
It’s unclear when, or if, a Fury-Usyk fight will be rescheduled. Usyk’s team is under the impression Fury will be sidelined for several months, Klimas says. That could push a fight between the two top heavyweights to the fall of 2024 or even early 2025.
According to Queensbury Promotions, Fury’s co-promoter, the cut required “urgent medical attention” and will “require a period of recovery.” A timetable will be revealed after doctors have fully appraised the condition of the eye.
In a statement, Fury expressed disappointment at being forced to postpone.
“I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition,” Fury said. “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 Saudi Arabia.”
If and when Fury-Usyk is rescheduled it may not be for the undisputed title. The IBF has given Usyk a March 31 deadline to reach a deal to face Hrgović, a source told SI. If Usyk declines to defend against Hrgović, the title would be stripped, with Hrgović then fighting for a vacant belt against the next highest ranked challenger.
