Oleksandr Usyk has been warned by Canelo Alvarez that he will be in for a "difficult" night against Tyson Fury.
Usyk and Fury are expected to meet next year in the first undisputed heavyweight title clash since 1999. WBC champion Fury insisted he was retired from boxing after knocking out domestic rival Dillian Whyte in April, but the Brit made a U-turn on his decision after Usyk beat Anthony Joshua for the second time earlier this month.
The pair have entered negotiations for the fight, which was originally being targeted to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 17, just one day after the World Cup final. It's now been reported that the fight is now "highly unlikely" to take place on that weekend and instead being planned for either February 11 or 18 next year.
Who do you think wins the undisputed heavyweight clash - Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below
Undisputed super-middleweight champion Alvarez has predicted Fury will be a handful for the former cruiserweight Usyk, telling Behind The Gloves. "Usyk is a really good fighter. I saw him a long time ago, he's a great fighter with a lot of skills but I think Fury has everything. Weight, boxing skills, I think it's going to be difficult for Usyk."
Alvarez has previously stated he would be willing to move up to cruiserweight to fight Usyk, who was once an undisputed champion at the weight class. Alvarez, who fights bitter rival Gennady Golovkin for the third time on September 17, has never fought above 174lb in his illustrious career.
Despite having stated he would have entertained an undisputed fight with Joshua for free, Fury has demanded £500million for facing Usyk. “It’s the biggest fight in the world so it needs to be the biggest pay day in the world," he said on talkSPORT. "[Floyd] Mayweather got £400million to fight [Manny] Pacquiao, I want £500m! “It’s some foreigner who nobody really cares about. To fight this unknown entity and give him an opportunity of legendary status? They have to pay for that.
"I know they [Saudi Arabia] have got the money. They’ve offered Tiger Woods $1billion [to join LIV Golf]. “I have no real interest in Usyk. Some man that nobody can really say his name? A pumped-up middleweight? It’s not my fault he’s gone and battered AJ, some bodybuilder! It’s not my fault that happened twice in a row."
