Oleksandr Usyk is expected to call out Tyson Fury if the unified three-belt heavyweight champion is victorious this Saturday night against challenger Daniel Dubois at the Tarczyński Arena Wrocław in Wroclaw, Poland.
It’s unlikely the call out of Fury will do anything to motivate the 6’9″ Brit into fighting him, as he’s facing a non-boxer Francis Ngannou next to get an easy payday.
Fury’s WBC title won’t be on the line for the contest, which is understandable given that Ngannou is making his pro debut in boxing.
Whether the Usyk-Fury fight will happen will be up to the Saudis, as they’re the ones who are interested in packaging this match-up as part of the Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder card in Saudi Arabia for January.
To get Fury to agree to risk his unbeaten record and WBC title, the Saudis will likely need to pay a pretty penny, perhaps more than they’re willing to give to him.
If Fury prices himself out, he’ll have to go in another direction for less money but a more negligible risk of him losing.
IBF, WBA & WBO champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) has been trying to lure reluctant WBC champ Fury to fight him for over a year but with no luck. Usyk doesn’t care so much about the 35-year-old Fury regarding the match-up.
Oleksandr just wants the WBC title that Fury (33-0, 24 KOs) has been sitting on for the last three years, defending it against soft opposition from Britain, Dereck Chisora & Dillian Whyte.
Usyk is frustrated with trying to deal with Fury because he came up empty once, and he’s seemingly tired of trying to put this fight together.
If Fury continues to drag his feet in making this fight, Usyk will need to defend against his IBF mandatory Filip Hrgovic, who is demanding that he get a title shot against the winner of this Saturday’s Usyk-Dubois winner.
Gareth A. Davies: “We’re here with Oleksandr Usyk, looking very big, looking very powerful and very Cossack,” said Gareth to talkSport Boxing. “What does it mean to you, Oleksandr, to be fighting in front of your own people at home?”
Oleksandr Usyk: “Listen, I’m very happy about my fight in Poland. It’s a good opportunity for my people who live in
Ukraine who live in Poland now.”
Gareth: “When you beat Daniel Dubois, have you got a message for Tyson Fury as well?”
Usyk: “Message for Tyson Fury? I don’t have a message for Tyson Fury.”
Gareth: “But will you fight him next?”
Usyk: “See you later, Queen.”
Gareth: “You’re calling him the ‘Gypsy King,’ yeah?”
Usyk: “Gypsy Queen, yeah. Greedy belly, I love you.”