After what Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk When they finally meet in the ring this weekend, boxing should have its first undisputed heavyweight champion in nearly a quarter of a century. Both reached their mid-thirties undefeated, and both were determined to reach the pinnacle of their careers by winning every major title belt in their division, a feat that has not been accomplished since. Lennox Lewis achieved this in 1999.
“Not only will we crown the undisputed heavyweight champion, but both contestants are undefeated,” said promoter Bob Arum. “Now, how weird is that?” Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) holds three of the world’s major titles in nearly three years, while Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) holds the fourth after a career in which he wore he held all four belts at different times.
They have been thinking about a winner-take-all duel for years, and after false starts, deviations and delays, they finally come together for a match that will take place in the early hours of Sunday in Saudi Arabia to reach Westerners. on Saturday. “I’m ready for a good fight,” Fury said. “And whether it’s hard or easy, either way, I’ll be ready.”
The last heavyweight to hold all four major belts was Lewis, who defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999 by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. His undisputed reign only lasted about six months, thanks to one of those endless territorial disputes that seem to be created whenever the sanctioning bodies intervene.
The current monumental moment in boxing history is taking place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, and this is no coincidence: oil-rich Saudi Arabia is spending huge sums to organize the best fights in the world, ending the typical fight. and territorial disputes between elite boxers and their territorial supporters.
Fury could make $100 million or more from this fight, and will likely have a great rematch in the fall. This fight was delayed twice after Fury said he needed more time following his embarrassing performance against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Fury narrowly pulled out a split decision to defeat a mixed martial artist competing in his first professional boxing match, and the effort sparked speculation if Fury was finally on the way down.
The 6-foot-9 Fury never possessed a classic boxer’s physique, but he appeared extremely chubby when he fought Ngannou, and most observers attributed his poor physical condition to his general unpreparedness for battle. But Fury showed up in Saudi Arabia to face Usyk looking thinner, and now some are wondering if he’s too far gone, if he’ll have enough bulk to withstand Usyk’s body work while still maintaining strength to respond to his own powerful blows.
“Forget about their belts,” Fury said. “I’m going for her heart. That’s where I’m going.” It was a fantastic tactical battle: Usyk, at 1.90 meters, was smaller than Fury, but the Ukrainian’s work rate and high skill level proved unbeatable for almost all of his opponents. Usyk will likely force Fury to try to beat the Brit’s wingspan, while Fury will pull out every trick and stratagem in his massive arsenal to keep Usyk off balance and frustrated.
Fury will be motivated to atone for his latest performance, while Usyk has a chance to complete his remarkable rise from cruiserweight stardom to heavyweight supremacy. “I’m excited,” said Usyk. “Let’s make history!”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
