By: Sean Crose
Tyson Fury claims he’s training for the match, which he says will go down in April at London’s Wembley Stadium. Fury’s opponent, however, has indicated that the fight may not go down at all. “The points for (a contractual) agreement were sent to Fury’s side,” WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Olkesandr Usyk tweeted on Saturday. “The deadline is set. The clock is ticking. The ball is on #Greedybelly’s side now. We did everything in our power to make it happen @Tyson_Fury.” It’s become quite the scenario, the leadup to the much hoped for bout between Usyk and WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Fury has.
At stake will be the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world – if the match actually goes down. Frankly, it would be ridiculous if this fight didn’t happen. Both Fury and Usyk seemed eager to get in the ring just a few short months ago. Since then it’s been weeks and weeks of nothing coming to fruition. Last week, WBA honcho Gilberto Mendoza indicated that terms had been agreed to. Days later, however, Fury indicated team Usyk was trying to push a rematch clause. Usyk subsequently responded that it was team Fury that first brought up a rematch clause.
While some are blaming Fury for the delay while others are blaming Usyk, two things remain clear. The first is that the fight hasn’t been signed yet. The second is that only the players themselves know what is or isn’t transpiring behind the scenes. There’s no doubt, however, that a Fury-Usyk bout would be good for boxing. There hasn’t been an undisputed heavyweight champion, after all, since the reign of Lennox Lewis. Boxing could really use a single heavyweight king right now, rather than an array of claimants. The sport, simply put, needs clarity in its heavyweight division.
In the meantime, the fight still remains in limbo. Sky Sports writes that “the targeted date for the fight is April 29, with Usyk’s team adamant the terms they have agreed to will only be valid for a contest on that date.” The clock, then, really is ticking. Of course, the fight could be pushed back to a later date, but there honestly doesn’t appear to be any need for that. The sport has seen enough nonsense. Bad enough that an Errol Spence-Terence Crawford fight may never come to fruition. Fans don’t need to see Fury-Usyk fall apart as well.
Perhaps Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia, two exciting young fighters, are the one’s to lead by example. Their own superfight has been signed for May.