Photo Courtesy: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (May 14, 2024) — Heavyweight history will be made soon in The Kingdom.
WBC/Lineal champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) and WBO/IBF/WBA ruler Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) will battle for the undisputed heavyweight crown this Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The winner becomes the division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis accomplished that feat in 1999.
On Tuesday at Boulevard Riyadh City, the main event combatants and undercard fighters made their grand arrivals. The pageantry was befitting one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in modern memory, a long-simmering rivalry that will play out in four days.
Fury has been the lineal champion for nearly nine years and is coming off last October’s decision over Francis Ngannou in Riyadh. Usyk survived a tough challenge before knocking out Daniel Dubois in the ninth round last August in Poland. After a Fury cut suffered in sparring scuttled their original Feb. 17 fight date, the world’s top heavyweights are finally in the same location.
The Fury-Usyk card is available on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV in the United States beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
The pay-per-view undercard features a pair of world title fights. In the co-feature, cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia (24-0, 19 KOs) puts his Ring Magazine belt on the line against Mairis Breidis (28-2, 20 KOs), the man he dethroned for the IBF world title in July 2022. The vacant IBF world title will also be at stake in this highly anticipated rematch.
The fighting pride of Wales, IBF junior lightweight world champion Joe Cordina (17-0, 9 KOs), defends his strap against Belfast native Anthony Cacace (21-1, 7 KOs).
At Tuesday’s grand arrivals, this is what Fury, Usyk, and Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum had to say.
Tyson Fury
“It feels absolutely fantastic to be in the great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m feeling fantastic. I can’t wait to put a good show on. There’s so many people coming. It’s such an event. All the big stars are here. It’s going to be epic. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”
“If I was fighting an old dosser on Saturday night who had five fights and lost them all, it would be very important to me. Every fight I’ve ever had is important to me. Every little fight along the way was important to me. I believe that every left and right turn I’ve ever taken in my life, every time I’ve fallen over, and every time I’ve climbed up was all leading to this moment. It’s destiny.”
“I predict that somebody’s ‘0’ has got to go. And it’s going to be that team over there, unfortunately for them. Oleksandr Usyk is a great fighter. Olympic gold medalist, cruiserweight world champion, heavyweight world champion. But, unfortunately for him, he has to come against the great Tyson Fury in the era of me. I’m really looking forward to Saturday night.”
“Even if he had 20 million people screaming his name, they cannot fight for him on the night. And when there’s two men in there on the night, it’s going to be very daunting when he has the undertaker in the ring with him.”
Oleksandr Usyk
“I feel good. I’m very happy to be here. Saturday is a special day because I will have the opportunity to become undisputed for a second time. It’s great. It’s very good for me. It’s very important for my country. I like that.”
“I have a plan. It’s a better plan. And it’s a great plan.”
“I really appreciate the support from my fans and Ukrainian soldiers. I love my fans.”
Bob Arum
“Unfortunately, we don’t see enough of these events in boxing. The undisputed heavyweight championship of the world occurs so infrequently that it’s almost like a blue moon coming. And now, on Saturday night, we will have the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world here in Riyadh. And that means that after this fight, there is one ‘Baddest Man on the Planet,’ the undisputed heavyweight champion. That means everything in the sport of boxing. That means everything for fans who love boxing.”
Saturday, May 18 – Top Rank on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View (12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT)
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, 12 rounds, Undisputed Heavyweight World Title
Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis 2, 12 rounds, Vacant IBF and Opetaia’s Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Titles
Joe Cordina vs. Anthony Cacace, 12 rounds, Cordina’s IBF Junior Lightweight World Title
Frank Sanchez vs. Agit Kabayel, 12 rounds, WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator
Moses Itauma vs. Ilja Mezencev, 10 rounds, Vacant WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Title
Mark Chamberlain vs. Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab, 12 rounds, Vacant WBC Silver Lightweight Title
Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Sirwan Safar, 10 rounds, Cruiserweight
Daniel Lapin vs. Octavio Pudivtr, 10 rounds, Vacant WBA Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title
