Efforts to make the undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Uysk later this year could restart.
But Usyk’s team are currently focused on securing his next fight against another Briton, Daniel Dubois.
Dubois is the mandatory challenger for the WBA heavyweight title, one of the three major championships that Usyk holds.
- Frazer Clarke can fight Fabio Wardley this year – but on his terms, says Ben Shalom
- Deontay Wilder would take Oleksandr Usyk fight ‘in a heartbeat’
- Tyson Fury blames Oleksandr Usyk for collapse of undisputed heavyweight world title fight
Image: Usyk expects to face Dubois next
The Ukrainian’s promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports: “We are now concentrated on Dubois as the next step.”
But responding to reports that Bob Arum, the co-promoter of WBC heavyweight champion Fury, was in talks to stage the heavyweight championship fight in Saudi Arabia, Krassyuk said: “He is saying that he had talks with Saudi people on Fury vs Usyk. Not us.”
Trending
- Nagelsmann will not be next Tottenham boss | Mason to be considered
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Messi to start for PSG on return from club suspension
- Ten Hag: Rashford ‘more than doubtful’ to face Wolves
- PL Predictions: Man Utd slip to open door for Liverpool
- Klopp: Liverpool attractive even without CL | ‘We changed things at right moment’
- Arteta: Zinchenko could return for Arsenal this season
- Moyes: ‘Good chance’ Rice leaves West Ham in summer
- Super League: Warriors make pressure count to lead Rhinos LIVE!
- Usyk vs Fury back on? Dubois next but ‘everything is possible after he wins’
- Neville: Pressure on City at Everton | ‘Arsenal aren’t knocked out’
- Video
- Latest News
But Krassyuk did not rule out the possibility of that fight still taking place, noting: “Everything else is possible after Usyk wins.”
Usyk defeated Anthony Joshua in London in 2021 to win the WBA, WBO and IBF titles. After serving on the frontlines in Ukraine when Russia invaded in his country, the heavyweight champion returned to the sport to beat Joshua in a high-profile rematch last year.
Also See:
But with Fury, who beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora in two stadium fights last year, unbeaten and reigning as the WBC titlist, it would take a fight between the two to decide the world’s undisputed heavyweight leader.
In depth negotiations were under way between Fury’s and Usyk’s teams to make that fight earlier this year, only for those talks to collapse publicly with each side blaming the other.
Image: Usyk confronted Tyson Fury after his fight in Tottenham
It left Usyk looking for an alternative opponent for his next fight.
London’s Dubois, who came through an exciting bout with Kevin Lerena on the undercard of Fury’s last contest, is in prime position to challenge Usyk next.
Dubois has a ‘regular’ WBA title, a secondary belt to the full world championship that Usyk holds but which makes him the mandatory challenger for Usyk. Those discussions are still ongoing with no date or venue confirmed yet for Usyk vs Dubois.
There has been no clear indication yet on what Fury’s next fight will be, although when China’s Zhilei Zhang upset Joe Joyce last month he advanced his own case for consideration.
Joyce though activated the rematch clause in his contract with Zhang, as he hopes to restore himself to the top end of the heavyweight division.
Boxing, particularly heavyweight boxing, remains as unpredictable outside the ropes as it is inside the ring.
Sourse: skysports.com
