WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 21-0 (14) will be ringside for Tyson Fury’s next fight but he isn’t expecting anything other than a whitewash from the self-styled Gypsy King.
WBC heavyweight titleholder Fury 33-0-1 (24) is set to facing 37-year-old boxing debutant and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28.
Late last month it was announced a deal had been reached for Ukrainian southpaw Usyk, 36, to face 35-year-old Englishman Fury in a four-belt unification bout next in Saudi Arabia.
Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk will use the Ngannou bout as an opportunity to get a closer look at Fury in action.
“Yes, I’m going there. I would like to see the bout,” Usyk said on his Usyk17 YouTube channel.
“The promotion is impressive and it’s understood because this is a show that people are waiting for. But for a professional boxer, it’s completely different.
“This bout is bread and butter for Tyson Fury. This is my attitude towards boxing. And when someone is saying that Ngannou can drop him, I would probably agree, but I’m really not certain.
“Tell me, how could a guy with no experience in boxing beat a two-metre giant who’s been boxing for 20 years?
“Yes, Ngannou is a UFC champion. I’m not disputing it, but UFC isn’t boxing. I’m sure 100% that Tyson Fury will be victorious. He will effortlessly win.”
Usyk added a caveat.
“If Ngannou relatively has a puncher’s chance and if he hypothetically sends Fury tumbling to the canvas, I’ll concede talking gibberish,” he said. “It’s better to wait. We’ll see everything in a while.”
Usyk’s comments came as Fury arrived in Saudi Arabia.
“I’m very happy to have just landed here in Saudi Arabia. It’s my third time here in a few years. It’s a very lovely place and I’m very happy to be fighting here,” Fury said.
“The Gypsy King delivers entertainment, day-in, day-out. That’s what I do. I’m here because I’m the best at what I do and that’s entertaining.
“Next Saturday is going to be one of the best nights in combats sports that’s remembered. People will be saying ‘Where were you Oct. 28, 2023?’”
“It’s the biggest event in the world of combat sports for sure. No other thing can come close to this… It’s going off. Unbelievable.”
Fury has fought just twice in the past two year. In April last year he knocked out Dillian Whyte 29-3 (19) in the sixth round in London. Last December he stopped veteran gatekeeper Derek Chisora 34-13 (23) in 10 in Tottenham.
Usyk last saw action in August when he knocked out mandatory contender Daniel Dubois 19-2 (18) in nine in Wroclaw, Poland. The fight was not without its controversy. Dubois dropped the unified champion with a body shot on the sixth that was ruled lowed, prompting his promoter Frank Warren to protest the result.
