If they meet, and if there is a winner, either Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury will walk away as the first four-belt heavyweight champion in history. Yes, it’s the fight the whole world wants to see: Usyk Vs. Fury, for all the marbles. But will it happen? Usyk, perfect at 20-0(13) and now 4-0 as a heavyweight, made his feelings clear last night when he took the mic and spoke after his repeat win over Anthony Joshua:
“I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet,” a victorious Usyk said. “I’m sure. I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. And if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
Fury, also unbeaten, at 32-0-1(23) has since taken to social media, to give a short but very encouraging message:
“I will annihilate both of them on the same night,” Fury said. “Get your f*****g checkbook out, because ‘The Gypsy King’ is here to stay forever!”
So much for Fury’s latest retirement.
But this fight, one that would have just about everything and anything a truly fascinating world heavyweight title fight showdown could have – two unbeaten fighters, with both having a genuine claim to being the best in the world, all four belts on the line for the first time ever, a clash of styles, to say nothing of personalities – has to happen. Bob Arum, who spoke with Mark Kriegel last night, said this fight “won’t be a hard one to make.” Arum said right after Fury’s latest retirement announcement that such talk was “hogwash” and that he fully expected Fury to call for last night’s winner. Once again, Arum has been proven correct.
Arum also suggested that a 50-50 purse split is fair and realistic for an Usyk-Fury fight. We know it’s not down to money as far as Usyk is concerned, so there should be no trouble with the WBA/IBF/WBO champ as far as accepting a 50-50 split goes. But Fury, might he want more? Hopefully not, and hopefully Arum will again be proven correct when he says this one will not be tough to get done.
But who wins if these two master boxers with vastly different physical dimensions do fight?
Usyk has twice overcome the strength, power and weight advantages Joshua held over him, but Fury, at around 270 pounds and around 6’8,” would/will be something else again. This fight looks to be the ultimate test for Usyk, who is aiming to go down as a true great and would do so with a win over Fury. This fight could also be looked at as the ultimate test for Fury, who says he is the best ever and needs to see off Usyk in order to prove he is the best of his era.
Wherever it is held, this one will be enormous, and special, and very competitive. There was a time when this fight would have been shot down by the majority of fight fans, with former cruiserweight king Usyk being looked at as just too small. No longer. It’s a testament to Usyk’s brilliance that he is now in with a genuine shot at beating the gigantic Fury and then, perhaps, exiting the sport with a flawless and immensely impressive resume.
For Fury, it’s another massive payday and another challenge, and it’s another rival fighter’s unbeaten record for him to take. But as much as this fight would/will be Usyk’s biggest physical challenge, it could also prove to be Fury’s biggest puzzle to solve. Both men have fine skills and a great boxing IQ and, size aside, these two are superbly matched for an absorbing, fascinating, at times complex battle of wits.
Again, this fight has to happen.
