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The Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk defended his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles in a rematch against the British Olympic gold winner Anthony Joshua on Saturday on the soil of Saudi Arabia. With the win, Usyk remains undefeated extending his winning streak to 20-0 and getting the Ring Magazine championship which was recently stripped from Fury and was put up for grabs. In his post-fight interview, the champion made it clear that he is only interested in a unification fight with Tyson Fury otherwise he has no intention to box.
It looks like Usyk's wish has been heard and a potential fight with Fury has begun to take shape. Tyson Fury has set a seven-day deadline to arrange a unification fight with the Ukrainian. Despite making announcements regarding his retirement on several occasions in 2022, The Gypsy King is expected to take his decision back and step inside the ring against Usyk either by the end of 2022 or in early 2023. Fury has most recently defeated Dillian Whyte in April and holds the WBC title. Promoter Frank Warren has said that a bout with Fury is “the only fight” Usyk wants, and Fury has given until 1 September for it to be arranged.
He posted on social media: “For all these suitors out there that want to make the fight, I’m going to give you all seven days until September 1st to come up with the money, if not thank you very much, it’s been a blast, I’m retired.
“All offers submitted must be to my lawyer in writing with proof of funds, so let the games begin.”
Tyson Fury has also named a price of £500m for the fight with Oleksandr Usyk. Talking to an interview with talkSPORT, Fury said,
"This fight is purely about money. I'm retired. I don't need money. I've got plenty of money. But if they want the Gypsy King to fight, they've got to pay an obscene amount of money. It's the biggest fight in the world, and it needs to be the biggest payday in the world. Floyd Mayweather got $400m for [Manny] Pacquiao, I want £500m for Usyk."
Promoters Bob Arum and Frank Warren have guaranteed that an undisputed heavyweight championship fight will happen soon. Both boxers have expressed their willingness to fight. But to meet the financial conditions of both boxers remains a real issue. The venue of the fight is yet to be decided. The location most likely would-be Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates as the fight would generate major money interest from there.
Co-promotor Frank Warren sat down with iFL TV and claimed,
“The challenge is going to be meeting the financial expectations of both guys. It has to be much bigger than that [Usyk v Joshua II] because you’ve got two undisputed fighters and the first time the four belts have been on the line.
“It’s a unique situation and what adds to it is that they are both undefeated, which is quite unusual.”
It will be for the first time we will see all four heavyweight titles on the line if the fight does occur. the winner would become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000, and the sixth of all time and first-ever champion of the four-belt era following the rise of the WBO.