Although the likes of Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte may disagree, it's widely agreed that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are the two best heavyweight boxers on the planet.
Fury cemented his legacy as a generational competitor when he beat Wilder in the final two fights of the pair's epic trilogy, with the first encounter controversially being ruled a draw. As for Usyk, the Ukrainian showcased class in abundance when he rocked up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and took Joshua apart over 12 rounds, delivering a masterclass in the art of the sweet science.
Although Fury will not be looking past Whyte and Usyk will not be looking past a potential rematch with Joshua, boxing purists around the globe will be keen to see the two best in the business face off.
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At the moment, it's not completely clear what Usyk has in mind for the future due to factors ongoing outside the ring. The 35-year-old has been pictured in Ukraine defending his nation against the ongoing Russian invasion.
However, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, a rematch between the Ukrainian and Joshua is on the cards. "The fight’s all done, it’s all agreed," he told TalkSport. "It’s 100 per cent Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk the rematch.
"We’re finalising the location at the moment, his team are in London this week so we’re gonna sit down with them. I think in two weeks time we’ll finalise the date. It will be July."
If that fight goes the same way as the first meeting between the two men, then Usyk will only have Fury separating him from heavyweight immortality, provided of course that the Gypsy King gets past Whyte on Saturday.
In the past, Fury has made it clear how much he admires Usyk too. In a conversation with Sky Sports' broadcast team, he made a point of criticising Johnny Nelson's assessment of the Ukrainian as "average southpaw".
Fury agreed with the view of commentator Adam Smith that Usyk was a "a fantastic fighter." In 2020, Fury was adamant that Usyk was not on his list of options going forward.
"No. Usyk ain’t on the list, he’s a no-name, no-one’s interested and it doesn’t make any money," he told iFL TV (h/t TalkSport ). "So what would I wanna fight him for?"
But the goalposts have shifted since then and if Usyk was to topple Joshua again, then the Ukrainian would be a huge name to potentially conquer.
Fury has said he will consider retiring after his showdown with Whyte. Some may think that a possible meeting with Joshua may convince him to change that decision. But if Usyk was to conquer AJ again this summer, surely the Gypsy King would be tempted by a showdown with the heavyweight division's other pound-for-pound star.
