Home Boxing News Tyson Fury on Oleksandr Usyk fight: “December 23, why not?”

Tyson Fury on Oleksandr Usyk fight: “December 23, why not?”

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 33-0-1 (24) says his mooted fight against WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine kingpin Oleksandr Usyk 21-0 (14) will take place on December 23.

Late last month it was announced the highly anticipated undisputed heavyweight championship fight would take place in Saudi Arabia, but no date was declared for the bout.

Fury, who is days out from his 10-round non-title fight against boxing debutant and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, says he will be ready to box again before Christmas.

“We’ve signed the contracts,” the 35-year-old Brit told Sky Sports. “December 23, that’s out there isn’t it? It’s only eight weeks away from Saturday. Why not?

“I’ve not even had a fight this year so get two in before the end of the year would be fantastic. Double payday. There’ll be a nice big turkey in the Fury household this Christmas.

“If it happens December 23, I’ll be playing that song, Driving Home For Christmas, I won’t land back in the UK till Christmas Eve, late Christmas Eve and if we get a delay I’ll be spending Christmas with the reindeers in the airport!”

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk will present a unique challenge for Fury. The 36-year-old Ukrainian southpaw is a smooth operator who knows how to use his feet and angles to keep his opponents guessing.

Fury says these are the type of matchups boxing needs more of.

“You very rarely get two undefeated champions fighting each other and when you do it’s like every 10 years,” Fury said.

“[Usually] you know who’s going to win before they’ve even fought, it’s a pointless thing… I’m a boxing fan. I’ve been a boxing fan my whole life and even I’m pretty sick of it.”

He added: “So something needs to change. In UFC the best fight the best, the contenders – No 10 will fight No 11, No 4 will fight No 3 and No 1 will fight No 2.

“I don’t think [boxing’s] ever been like that. Sometimes you get the best fighting the best but there’s always been a build-up of cannon fodder all the way through their careers. Like for their first 20 fights they didn’t fight anybody. That sort of behaviour. In the UFC they don’t do that. They chuck them in straight away.

“If you’re good enough, you’re good enough and if you’re not, go home.

“If you’re a champion and you’re fighting a defence or somebody in the top 10 then that’s totally fine. I’m on about grassroots level. I’m on about the way it’s built up. When a champion’s fighting the No 3 ranked contender there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I think it needs to change for sure and I think it will.

“There’s some big power moves happening in boxing and it’s all stemming from Saudi Arabia. I think there’s going to be a massive change in the next few months. There’s going to be a power change in boxing and it’s going to be for the better.

“So something needs to change and I think we’re going to see it pretty soon.”