Fans would be forgiven for not holding their breath to see a Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk fight, even despite a recent announcement that it’s signed.
That’s because it was promised almost twelve months ago before negotiations turned public and things fell apart bitterly.
Now, both sides say they have put pen to paper for the world title fight, which will crown the heavyweight division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis. Still there are sections of the boxing world that have doubts.
Speaking on Pro Box TV, two-time world champion Shawn Porter was adamant that the fight won’t happen.
“Nah, it ain’t happening. That fight is not happening. I mean it’s a fight that I’d like to see, I just believe that Tyson Fury has fought his way into being a superstar. And with that status, he’s in a position where he can pick who he wants to fight. I don’t think there’s a chance in this world that he’s going to pick fighting Oleksandr Usyk.
He’s not out now to fight guys and claim his supremacy as an elite heavyweight in the world and almost ever. I think that’s established. I think he’s on to superstar fights. The fight with Francis Ngannou, that is not a boxing fight it’s a world fight.
I think that even though this fight is being announced and all that kind of stuff, we do not see them touch gloves in the centre of the ring and box.”
Speaking on the same interview, former WBO super-lightweight champion Chris Algieri agreed. The New York native went as far as saying that he doesn’t say Fury taking any legitimate fight post-Ngannou, but did point out that he was ‘unpredictable.’
“Shawn I’m glad you said it, because I’m in the same boat. I was not ready to eat my words on this one, I didn’t think this fight was gonna happen.
I don’t think Tyson Fury’s gonna fight anybody in a legitimate heavyweight boxing match, any top contenders … But, if there’s anything you can say about Tyson Fury, it’s that he’s unpredictable.”
Word from the promotion is that an official date will be announced for the undisputed bout in the aftermath of Fury’s event with Ngannou, with the urgency dependant on whether or not he comes through that unscathed.