Tyson Fury is still pushing for an undisputed world heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk - even though negotiations have broken down multiple times.
The WBC champion has defended his belt twice, while Usyk has had just one opportunity to defend his WBA super, WBO and IBF titles since winning them almost two years ago. And while it appears both fighters are interested in the bout, their teams have not been able to come to an agreement.
Fury is expecting an active year after struggling for ring time in boxing's post-pandemic era. He was forced out for a year-and-a-half by coronavirus restrictions in 2020 and 2021 before facing Deontay Wilder in October 2021, and has since defended his belt twice in a mandatory defence against Dillian Whyte and a voluntary one with Derek Chisora.
"I'm looking to fight some big fights this year and next year," he told FoxSports AU. "We have an undisputed fight on the horizon for all the belts against Oleksandr Usyk. That has been in talks now for well over a year. There's also other big fights, so we're working on some possibilities at the moment
"We were supposed to talk about fighting Zhang but Joe Joyce has activated his rematch clause so them two will now have a rematch and maybe the winner will get a chance to fight me later on." It was also expected that Fury could face Andy Ruiz Jr this summer, but his focus now appears to have shifted to an August showdown with Demsey McKean in Australia.
And speaking about the prospect of fighting Usyk, Fury insisted that the bout would be a handy victory, declaring that he would get the Ukrainian out within the opening half of the bout. It would be the Ukrainian's first loss in the paid ranks, where he scooped up all of the belts at cruiserweight before coming up to heavyweight and dethroning Anthony Joshua for almost the full set.
“I’d batter him into submission,” Fury added.“Quite quickly as well. I don’t think that fight goes six rounds, no way. Everyone is overestimating this guy because of how he outboxed a conventional fighter in Anthony Joshua. But Joshua isn’t what he once was. Has slid a long way in my opinion. And I’m not Joshua, I’m not some big, stiff guy who won’t let his hands go. I’d annihilate Usyk.”
Are you still interested in seeing Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk after the lengthy back-and-forth? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Fury has been in Australia to support teammate Joseph Parker ahead of his bout with Faiga Opelu today, and has promised to travel the country looking at stadiums for a potential bout with McKean. The Australian is not one of the world's top heavyweights, but would be seen as a tough test before a possible December meeting with Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s something myself and the great Emanuel Steward spoke about often,” Fury said of fighting around the world. “Going on the road and fighting in all these different countries. Back in the day, that’s what they used to do, but now, nobody does it anymore so I’d love to bring that back.
“Because I’m not just the champion of England. Or America - I’m the world heavyweight champion. So I want to travel to different countries, different continents, fighting different people … that’s been a plan of mine for a long time.”
