Oleksandr Usyk's manager has claimed that a fight with Tyson Fury is "done", with an agreement only needing the Briton's confirmation.
The 'Gypsy King' elected to call a time on his boxing career earlier this year but has since made a U-turn and vowed to become undisputed champion by facing Usyk. Both heavyweights' teams held talks prior to Usyk's second win over Anthony Joshua regarding a potential clash, but the Ukrainian elected to take time out to recover, which has delayed the fight until next year.
In the meantime, Fury will step into the ring with former two-time rival Derek Chisora on December 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a win needed to remain on course for the showdown with Usyk. And with talks having already been held ahead of next year, Usyk's manager, Eigis Klimas, believes it is just Fury who now needs to accept the clash.
He told Seconds Out : "Everything is done from our side – everything. So, there's only one guy who can say, 'Yes, we're going [ahead];' that's Fury. Size difference of course, it's not in Usyk's favour. Fury is a giant. Also, he's a good fighter. He's a talented fighter first of all; Secondly, he has a good boxing IQ. He is a very, very dangerous fighter."
Usyk himself had already confirmed his plans to challenge Fury next year having already set a target date of late February or early March for the fight to take place. "Right now, my team is seeking conversations with Tyson Fury and he is really an unpredictable person so we can't guarantee when," Usyk told the PA news agency. "For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian.
"During the great fasting before Easter, I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter (April 16). I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt and I don't want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt."
Who wins if the pair touch gloves next year - Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk? Let us know in the comments section below!
Usyk has been heavily linked with a clash against Deontay Wilder, having suggested he would be open to the bout if one with Fury is unavailable. The former undisputed cruiserweight champion has even teased a return back to the lower weight class if a fight with Canelo Alvarez is on the cards, with his struggles to pile on the pounds at heavyweight seemingly a key factor.
Fury's promoter, Frank Warren, has suggested, from the other side of the table, that the fight will indeed take place in 2023. "I do not expect Usyk to vacate his WBO belt, I expect him to fight Tyson providing he comes through this December," Warren said. "There is not a date as of yet this is why we are getting Tyson to do this fight [against Chisora] but hopefully it will be at the end of February or in early March."
