Fury eyes ‘fight for the ages’

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Tyson Fury vowed to deliver a “fight for the ages” as his “historic” clash with Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title was confirmed for 17 February in Saudi Arabia.

British star Fury will put his World Boxing Confederation belt on the line, with the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization titles held by Ukraine’s Usyk also up for grabs in Riyadh.

The winner will be crowned the heavyweight division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis from 1999 to 2000.

Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, were originally expected to clash on 23 December.

But Fury’s disappointing performance in a split-decision victory over mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou last month forced a delay to the hotly-anticipated bout.

He was left with a swollen eye and cut on the forehead after the contentious win against Ngannou.

Fury had already been criticized for failing to agree a deal with Usyk when a proposed meeting at Wembley in April could not be confirmed.

The pair will finally step into the ring in 2024 as Fury looks to add to his record of 34 wins with one draw since turning professional in 2008.

“This is a historic event. The whole world of boxing has been waiting for many, many years, and they now have this fight,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told reporters at a press conference in London on Thursday.

“For the first time this century, we will have an undisputed heavyweight champion.”

“As a promoter I’ve been banging my head against the wall. But now we have the creme de la creme. These two undefeated heavyweight fighters.”

In typically combative mood at the press conference, Fury referenced his 2015 victory over Usyk’s fellow Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, which earned him the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.

“I already relieved one Ukrainian of all the belts, and now I’m going to take them all back,” Fury said.

“Usyk is a champion, I’m a champion. It’s going to be a fight for the ages.”