Home News Other Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight: Why was it canceled again?  
tyson fury and usyk fight

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight: Why was it canceled again?  

Discover why the fight faced another cancellation and the reasons behind it.

Published on 14 Feb 2024

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If you love watching fights, the past few days might have been really disappointing. The big championship Fury vs Usyk fight for the heavyweight title got delayed. Now, they’ve set a new date because Tyson Fury got a cut on his face, and they had to postpone the match.

What was the reason for postponing Fury vs Usyk fight?

The scheduled ‘Ring of Fire’ fight between WBC champion Fury and WBO, WBA, and IBF titlist Usyk in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 17, has been postponed. Following the confirmation of the delay, both fighters, speaking from different locations on a live stream, revealed that they agreed to a new date for the match, which will still happen in Riyadh.

Fury explained the reason for the postponement, stating, “I had arranged to spar 12 rounds with four different guys. In the fifth round, I got an elbow in the eye, resulting in a split eye. I went to the hospital and had 11 stitches. They have all the medical reports; there’s not much anyone can do about getting a cut in sparring. It’s just one of those things; it’s my first time experiencing it.”

During the stream, accompanied by event organizer Turki Alalashikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority, it was also announced that the entire February 17 show has been postponed, putting an end to speculation about Usyk facing a replacement opponent.

Alalashikh added that Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev have agreed to compete in an undisputed light-heavyweight world title clash in Saudi Arabia on June 1.

Fury vs Usyk fight gets a new date

Despite initial concerns among fight enthusiasts, the much-anticipated undisputed heavyweight clash is confirmed to proceed, now scheduled for May 18. Tyson Fury announced the new date on his official Instagram, giving credit to Turki Alalshakh for swiftly arranging it.

In Fury’s words, “Life throws challenges, but you keep moving forward. A little elbow nearly jeopardized the biggest fight, but what can you do? Usyk talks about retirement, but no retirement here! Knockout on May 18th, live from Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Season.”

Is Usyk still going to compete on February 17th?

Given the rescheduled date for Fury vs. Usyk in mid-May, it’s improbable for Usyk to entertain another match three months prior to this. Instead, he will likely intensify his training regimen in anticipation of participating in the first undisputed heavyweight championship fight in 25 years.

Usyk vs Fury Fight Cancellation: Latest updates

  • To recap, on February 2, Tyson Fury sustained an injury during sparring, resulting in a cut above the eye for the “Gypsy King.” The British fighter’s promoters announced the indefinite postponement of the highly anticipated bout for the undisputed title. Notably, this marks the second time the fight has been canceled, with the first cancellation following Fury’s less-than-convincing win over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
  • According to the esteemed Lennox Lewis, recovery could extend up to three months, indicating that the much-anticipated “Fight of the Century” won’t occur before the summer. There are speculations of a potential postponement to August or even September.
  • Alexander Krasiuk is currently in talks with a potential opponent for Usyk, with IBF belt mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic being considered.

The other day a grand promo for the fight between Usyk and Fury was released.

The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight was canceled again due to Tyson Fury sustaining an injury, a cut above the eye, during sparring on February 2. This marked the second cancellation, with the first one following Fury’s less-than-convincing victory over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Recovery from Fury’s injury is estimated to take up to three months, postponing the anticipated “Fight of the Century” possibly until August or September.

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