Matchroom Boxing’s head, Eddie Hearn, has weighed in on the highly anticipated showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, set to take place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 18. With a vested interest in the outcome due to his desire for Anthony Joshua to vie for the championship, Hearn has offered his insights.
Joshua, having failed twice to defeat Usyk, is eagerly awaiting the outcome of this clash. In their initial encounter in September 2021, Usyk emerged victorious via unanimous decision. A year later, in their rematch, Joshua fared marginally better, but still succumbed to Usyk’s prowess, suffering a split decision loss.
Meanwhile, Fury, the enigmatic WBC titleholder, is coming off a lackluster performance against Francis Ngannou in October. Despite securing a split decision victory, Fury struggled and will need to elevate his game to conquer Usyk.
Originally slated for February 17, the Usyk-Fury bout was postponed due to a severe cut sustained by Fury during training. Speculation swirled regarding the authenticity of the injury, with some suggesting Fury orchestrated it to delay the fight. Hearn dismisses such claims, emphasizing Fury’s dedication to the bout.
Hearn’s prediction sees Usyk’s technical prowess potentially outmatching Fury’s size advantage, though he remains supportive of his fellow Brit. Recognizing the significance of a Fury victory in facilitating a future showdown with Joshua, Hearn anticipates an enthralling 50/50 battle for the undisputed heavyweight world championship.