Thanks to Oleksandr Usyk’s agreement to reschedule, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury will not be sued for $245 million by Saudi Arabia for delaying his opponent’s match with Ukraine.

Fury reached an agreement to fight three matches in Saudi Arabia worth $200 million. According to the original plan, after meeting former UFC heavyweight champion Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, the British boxer will fight two matches to unify the most prestigious heavyweight titles with Usyk – who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO.

The two sides are said to have signed an agreement, with the first fight taking place in December 2023 with a rematch clause in 2024. This contract also includes a clause that only serious injuries and doctor’s confirmation will occur. May postpone the battle scheduled for December 23.

Fury suffered a large bruise on his left eye and forehead after his points win over Ngannou. Photo: Reuters

In his first fight – at Boulevard Hall, Riyadh on October 28, Fury beat Ngannou by referee points, despite being knocked down in the third round. But after the match, the British boxer suffered a large bruise on his left eye and forehead. Therefore, Fury’s side wants to delay the next fight – with Usyk scheduled to take place on December 23 – to have more time to recover. Tyson Fury’s representative, Frank Warren, said it would be “crazy” if the British boxer still fought Usyk as originally planned, and emphasized that Fury could not compete with a bruised face. Warren proposed to postpone the match against Usyk to January or February 2024.

Usyk initially did not accept the above proposal. The Ukrainian boxer believes that the postponement is not satisfactory, because in an interview on Boxing King Media a few days after meeting Ngannou, Fury revealed that he only had superficial bruises and a slight pain in the head but no serious injuries. important. And according to this argument, if Usyk still refuses to reschedule, Fury is at risk of being sued by the organizer in Saudi Arabia for $245 million in fines for breach of contract.

But earlier this week, after many efforts at negotiation, Fury’s side convinced Usyk to accept a postponement. “The match can take place in February 2024 and I like that,” the Ukrainian boxer said on November 9. “I’m ready to fight on December 23, but because Fury had some injuries in the previous match and was knocked down, the next match may be postponed to next year.”

The Fury – Usyk match to unify the heavyweight titles will take place in February 2024, two months later than planned. Photo: Sky Sports

Usyk’s manager, Alexander Krassyuk, also confirmed that Saudi Arabia agreed to postpone this heavyweight title unification fight. “They are very professional and have extensive knowledge and experience in sports,” Krassyuk said. “They make every effort to satisfy stakeholders as well as the needs of the fighters. They want the champions to feel comfortable and have the most perfect fight.”