By Declan Taylor
FRANK WARREN has confirmed that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will battle for all 4 belts regardless of the brand new delay on their heavyweight superfight.
After attempting and failing to make the battle a number of instances over the previous 12 months, the pair appeared set to clash on December 23 in Saudi Arabia after signing a deal.
However, following Fury’s unexpectedly testing evening towards Francis Ngannou final month, Warren dominated out the probabilities of the Gypsy King’s participation in a battle of such magnitude earlier than the 12 months is out.
But with an IBF obligatory looming, it had been prompt that the delay could power that sanctioning physique to strip Usyk of the title and permit Filip Hrgovic to battle for the vacant belt, ruining the Saudi plans of a real ‘undisputed’ battle.
Now Warren has confirmed that he has assurances that the IBF is not going to strip Usyk of that title so long as he and Fury can battle to unify the division earlier than March.
That month is a key for Saudi too, because it marks the tip of Riyadh Season, which was formally opened by Fury’s cut up choice victory over Ngannou on the Kingdom Arena.
Now Fury and Usyk are more likely to deliver the curtain down on the pageant, with the battle more likely to land in late February earlier than the IBF deadline.
Warren mentioned: “The Riyadh Season ends on March 2. It will go on by then, 100 per cent. It will be undisputed, all four belts. The IBF have given consent for that to happen.”
Usyk, who was ringside in Saudi and later posed for a face-off with Fury, had mentioned on Sunday that the Englishman should battle on December 23 as per their signed contract.
Warren mentioned: “Believe you me, I had the late conferences. It’s all executed. It didn’t need to be December 23, that was the date we have been hoping for.
“There’s absolutely not a problem. The fight is on, everything is agreed. It is ready to be announced. It will be announced very soon. The fight will be in the same arena.”
The pair have additionally agreed a rematch, which, given the brand new timeline, will seemingly open Riyadh Season 2024. However, that battle is not going to be for all 4 belts because of the IBF state of affairs so it was crucial for Warren that Fury went into the primary Usyk battle totally match.
He mentioned: “After Ngannou, It’s not simply the bruising, he’s had a 12-week camp, he’s had a brand new child, he’s had a troublesome battle, it’s a troublesome battle for him so now he wants a few weeks off after which he would solely have six weeks to coach for the undisputed battle? If it ended earlier then twenty third would have been a viable date. He mentioned to me after he would battle and I mentioned ‘no you’re not’. I informed him it wouldn’t go away, it’s signed and executed.
“I think he will beat Usyk and he knows Usyk. He knows what he’s got in front of him, Usyk is not going to switch his style. If Usyk watches that fight and sees a chink in his armour, who knows. Usyk is a competitor, he wants to fight. They both do. It will be a good fight.”
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