The highly anticipated bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the Undisputed Heavyweight title has been postponed due to Fury getting a cut while sparring.
Fury and Usyk were scheduled to duke it out on Feb 17th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the highly anticipated Ring of Fire event.
The fight has been put on hold due to a cut above Fury's eyes that requires urgent medical attention. A timeline for recovery will be provided once doctors thoroughly assess Fury's eye condition, according to Queensbury promotion, Fury Co promoter.
In a statement prepared by Fury, he revealed his disappointment for postponing the fight.
"I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition," Fury said.
"I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed. I can only apologize to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in Saudi Arabia."
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Fury vs. Usyk: Likely Replacements
Usyk's team is seeking a new opponent for the event in Riyadh, according to Sports Illustrated. Filip Hrgović, who is a challenger for one version of Usyk's heavyweight title, is interested in filling in.
Joseph Parker, who defeated Deontay Wilder back in December, was another name thrown around. There is a strong chance that the fight may be rescheduled as spokesperson from Queensberry Promotions said,
"Whilst this is still breaking news it is clearly a massive disappointment, after the work that has been done by so many people to finally deliver the historic event to the world. Once the doctors have appraised Tyson's eye, we will have a better idea of the period of recovery needed."
"Once known we will work diligently with all the stakeholders and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reschedule the fight as soon as possible and will of course keep everyone updated with developments," the spokesperson added.
Fury vs. Usyk: Tale of the Tape
Fury, known as one of the best heavyweight fighters, is coming off a win against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October in Riyadh.
Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist in his own right, is a former undisputed cruiserweight champion and has flourished since stepping in as a heavyweight, picking up his last win in August when he scored a ninth-round KO of Daniel Dubois in Poland.
Fury boasts a record of 34 wins, one draw and no losses; while Usyk remains undefeated at 21-0.
Despite the postponement, the boxing world eagerly awaits the rescheduled clash between these two formidable fighters for the Undisputed Heavyweight title.
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