Tyson Fury’s next fight is set and for his return, the Englishman will be taking part in a massive championship unification fight against the man considered to be the best fighter in the division today.
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Even before Tyson Fury took to the ring for his matchup with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October, his next fight was already booked. Luckily for him, he didn’t suffer a loss to the veteran cage fighter, and his scheduled bout against IBF, WBO, and WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk is still happening
The original plan was for the two heavyweight champions to face off in December at a card in Saudi Arabia. However, after Fury had a tough scrap against Ngannou and suffered a cut during the bout, the matchup was rescheduled for Feb. 17 in Riyadh.
However, after suffering another cut in training, Fury vs. Usyk was again postponed. The bout is now tentatively scheduled to take place on May 18.
Fans have been clamoring for a fight between Fury and Usyk for years. After some hard bargaining and a near scare against Ngannou, the two men who hold all of the heavyweight titles will face off in a unification bout in the next few months.
David vs. Goliath: While fans have gotten used to massive heavyweights like Fury, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and the Klitschko brothers, Usyk is a more traditional heavyweight. This means he is small for the era and he will give up a half foot in height and reach on fight night.
The matchup will be a classic David vs. Goliath moment at the highest level of the sport and it will be interesting to see how the Ukrainian tries to work his style against a rare large man with high-level technique.
Speed vs. Power: While Fury has the power advantage, the former Olympic gold medalist will be the more technical and faster fighter. Usyk was a champion a weight class down at cruiserweight, so his speed could play a huge role in the fight and be an equalizer for the power punches “The Gypsy King” can throw at him.
The bottom line: This is a huge bout in the history of the heavyweight division. Since Fury has beaten Wilder twice, and Usyk defeated Joshua twice, this is a matchup of the top two fighters in the division. The winner of this bout will not only be the unified champion but he will also be able to claim he is the greatest heavyweight of his generation.
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The Gypsy Eccentric: In a sport long known for some eccentric and odd characters, Tyson Fury has somehow been able to stand above the rest in that unique fraternity, literally and figuratively. And that is why — along with his outstanding skills as a pugilist — he has become a beloved figure around the world.
The measure of a fighter is often down to the money they’ve made throughout their career. Tyson Fury’s net worth is estimated to be $30 million.