Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will meet for a chance to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ESPN+ pay-per-view, noon ET).
Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), is the WBC champion and lineal champion. Usyk (21-0, 14 KO) has the WBA, IBF and WBO belts. The last time boxing had an undisputed heavyweight champion was in 2000 (Lennox Lewis, the Three Belt Era).
Heading into Saturday’s fight, Fury appears to be in much better shape than he was when he had to get up off the canvas in October in a split decision win over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
“It’s the fight of the century,” Fury told ESPN on Wednesday. “[An undisputed heavyweight championship fight] “This has never happened before in this century, and we look forward to putting on a great show.”
The fight was scheduled to take place in February before Fury suffered a nasty cut over his right eye during a sparring session. Usyk last fought in August, winning by ninth-round knockout over Daniel Dubois in a fight in which he appeared to be downed in the fifth round by a body shot, but referee Louis Pabon ruled it a low blow.
“Saturday is a special day because I will have the opportunity to be undisputed for the second time,” Usyk said. “It’s great. It’s very good for me. It’s very important for my country. I love it.”
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