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Fury vs Usyk: In a recent statement, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury disclosed that preparations are underway for the winner of Friday's Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou heavyweight clash in Saudi Arabia to face the victor of Fury's two-match series with fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Speaking on a Queensberry Promotions stream to promote both Joshua-Ngannou and his upcoming bout with Usyk on May 18 for undisputed status, Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) revealed that the initiative for the winners to square off came from Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian host of Friday's event.
With both Joshua and Fury (27-3, 24 KOs) favored to win their respective matches, a potential face-off between the two English fighters could set new records in terms of live-gate and pay-per-view heavyweight bouts.
Fury acknowledged the high stakes, stating, "So there's a lot on the line."
The prospect of a Fury-Joshua showdown has been eagerly anticipated for years, marred only by promotional hurdles and Joshua's setbacks against Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 and Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
However, tensions seem to have eased this week in Saudi Arabia, where Joshua and Fury's father, John Fury, had a friendly encounter. John Fury, praising Joshua, even went so far as to call him a "lovely" person.
"I've always liked 'AJ'," said John Fury. "He's done a lot for boxing. He'll be a champion again. He's shown me respect."
Meanwhile, Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, poses a formidable challenge for Joshua, having previously knocked down Fury in their bout last year. Despite Ngannou's tough reputation, John Fury believes Joshua's experience gives him an edge.
"If [Joshua] boxes and uses what he's got, he'll win on points," said John Fury. "The experience [advantage] is with AJ, though."
As for Fury, he is recovering from an eyebrow cut that postponed his planned February bout against Usyk. Usyk, a skilled southpaw, defeated Joshua by unanimous decision in their first bout and claimed a split-decision triumph in the rematch.
Joshua, 34, has since secured three consecutive victories, including a knockout of Robert Helenius and a fifth-round stoppage of Otto Wallin in December, who had previously given Fury a tough fight in 2019.
Joshua expressed eagerness for the Fury fight, calling it "the golden question."
"I'd say sooner rather than later," Joshua said. "It's in the pipeline. It has to happen."
Bob Arum, Fury's American promoter, welcomed the friendly interaction between Joshua and John Fury and expressed readiness for the unification bout with Saudi Arabia's support.
"We don't pay the bills," Arum said. "The Kingdom pays the bills. It's all about what's most tantalizing to them. Whatever they like, we are happy to accommodate them."
Roman Fury, Tyson's brother, is unsure how Tyson will react to a Joshua victory on Friday, should it occur, but is confident Tyson will have a plan in place.