Fury on Usyk showdown: 'It’s going to be one of the fights for the ages'

Undisputed heavyweight title bout official for Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia

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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have confronted each other before on the road to making their long-awaited fight for the undisputed heavyweight title.

They were face to face with Fury ranting at him minutes after polishing off Derek Chisora to retain the lineal/WBC title via one-sided 10th-round knockout last December, though a deal to fight in April fell apart.

And just a few weeks ago, they were face to face again — this time with their bout having already been signed — after Fury got knocked down, banged around and barely escaped with an unpopular 10-round split decision win against former UFC star Francis Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut, on Oct. 28 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury’s tough night against Ngannou scuttled plans for him to face IBF/WBO/WBA titlist Usyk on Dec. 23 at originally planned, but it was rescheduled, and on Thursday the bout dubbed “Ring of Fire” was formally announced at a news conference in London and will take place Feb. 17 (ESPN+ PPV), also at Kingdom Arena.

The fight will come near the end of the Riyadh Season cultural festival that opened with Fury-Ngannou and that will also host the “Day of Reckoning” mega heavyweight card starring Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder in separate bouts that was announced at a news conference on Wednesday in London.

After Thursday’s Fury-Usyk presser, which featured Fury once again ranting at Usyk and calling him names, a more calm Usyk saying little and an appearance by “Rocky” icon Sylvester Stallone, who is apparently involved in helping promote the bout, Fury and Usyk posed for the obligatory face off.

It ended with Fury going at Usyk with his head as they came together like rams and had to be separated.

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There is so much on the line for both, including their undefeated records and the biggest legacy line they can add to their Hall of Fame resumes — status as the undisputed heavyweight champion.

“I’ve been in many heavyweight title fights before and now is the most important one,” Fury said. “We’re both undefeated. He’s a champion; I’m a champion. And it’s going to be one of the fights for the ages.”

Their historic pairing was made possible by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, which has spent lavishly to bring top sports and entertainment events to the country.

“Since our first Riyadh Season in 2019, the Season has developed a reputation for hosting the biggest events and they do not come much bigger than the undisputed heavyweight title fight,” Alalshikh said. “This is history in the making, a fight the world has waited for. Now it is a reality, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is excited to be hosting this era-defining fight. This will be a global spectacle and we will do everything to ensure that everyone has an experience that matches an event of this magnitude.”

Barring a draw, the winner will become the first-ever four-belt heavyweight champion and the first undisputed champion in the division since Lennox Lewis outpointed Evander Holyfield in the three-belt era in their 1999 rematch.

“It’s been 24 years since we’ve last had an undisputed heavyweight world champion,” Fury said. “And we know that the Klitschkos (brothers Wladimir and Vitali) were champions for about 10 years. So, there’s been another 14 years where other heavyweights couldn’t stop it. So we’ve been chosen and I believe we’re both destined to be here. And there’s only one winner: I’m destined to become undisputed champion.”

Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs), 36, of Ukraine, who will be making his third heavyweight title defense, as usual, had little to say.

“I’m very happy to be here. Thank you to everyone. I will speak more in the ring,” said Usyk, who can join his boxing idol Holyfield as the only men to become the undisputed cruiserweight and undisputed heavyweight champion. “I want to tell a story that looks very similar to our story with Tyson, about David and Goliath. When the Lord gives me Tyson in my hands, I will do my job.”

Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), 35, of England, who will be defending the lineal title for the 11th time, called Usyk names, yelled at him a bit, but it all came off as stale given how badly he looked in escaping against Ngannou. However, he did settle down.

“We’re not here to talk,” Fury said. “It’s not a talking contest. It’s a boxing match. On February 17, all the talking goes out the window. It doesn’t matter what he or what I said. It comes down to who wins the fight. He thinks he’s going to win. I know I’m going to win. There’s not much more to be said.”

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Photos: Top Rank

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