The heavyweight unification bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will now happen on May 18, 2024 in Saudi Arabia.
Fury the WBC champion suffered a training injury and needed stitches to a cut above his eye on Friday, thus forcing a postponement of the fight against Usyk who holds the WBA and IBF titles he collect from Anthony Joshua.
Tyson Fury said: “Yesterday morning sparring, arranged to spar 12 rounds with four different guys. In round five I got an elbow in the eye, been to the hospital and got 11 stitches – nothing much anything can do about cut in sparring, s*** happens
” I was very disappointed, I’ve been in Saudi Arabia five weeks training and everything was going fantastic.”
Saudi entertainment minister Turki Alslshik confirmed the new date.
He told The MMA Hour: ‘We’ve delayed this fight until May 18, I’ve guaranteed both fighters $10 million if someone has escaped the fight. I also guarantee another big fight on the same night.
‘I will make fans around the world know if someone is scared for this fight. If Usyk is scared I will call for [Anthony] Joshua-Tyson, if Tyson is scared I will call for another fighter that Usyk wants. I don’t want them to fight in front of the fans but on the 18th May we will have an answer.”
