Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter is still unsure whether or not his man will get to face Tyson Fury in the much anticipated undisputed showdown on May 18.
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk is scared by the first postponement of this fight which came about when Fury suffered a bad cut in sparring that required stitches.
The initial February date was moved back eight weeks and set off plenty of speculation about Fury’s mental state, and whether or not he will be ready to fight come May.
Turki Alalshikh, the influential Saudi behind his homeland’s boxing revolution, has issued a stern warning to Fury and said a $10 million penalty must be paid if he withdraws from the upcoming Pay Per View event again. Despite this, Krassyuk remains cautious about accepting the penalty as definitive.
Speaking to WBN about the fight, he gave his thoughts on the showdown.
“Theoretically, the rematch should happen before the end of 2024. However, we all know that Tyson is not the world’s best rematch-er. And after he loses to Usyk in the first bout, you cannot predict his behaviour at all.
“I say this, but I have no guarantee that the first fight ever takes place. The man has withdrawn four times in a row already. We have even decided to stop all the jokes and criticisms towards Luke to support his confidence. So if there is anything else we can do to help him get in the ring with Usyk, we are ready to do that.”
He was then asked if he had a contingency plan if Fury does pull out.
“Usyk’s goal is to get the fourth heavyweight belt and to complete the undisputed. After accomplishing this mission other options can be regarded.”
Krassyuk is not the only one with concerns about this fight.