Oleksandr Usyk in talks to fight Filip Hrgovic after Tyson Fury withdrawal
Oleksandr Usyk is now exploring the possibility of facing Filip Hrgovic after Tyson Fury withdrew from their scheduled bout due to a cut sustained in sparring. The undisputed heavyweight championship clash was set for 17 February in Saudi Arabia. Usyk, the holder of WBA, IBF, and WBO titles, could potentially face the unbeaten Croatian, Hrgovic,…
Oleksandr Usyk is now exploring the possibility of facing Filip Hrgovic after Tyson Fury withdrew from their scheduled bout due to a cut sustained in sparring. The undisputed heavyweight championship clash was set for 17 February in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk, the holder of WBA, IBF, and WBO titles, could potentially face the unbeaten Croatian, Hrgovic, who is the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s IBF belt. Alex Krassyuk, Usyk’s promoter, mentioned a “slight chance” for this matchup on the same date.
Fury’s injury above his right eye requires significant stitching and urgent medical attention, leading to the postponement of the entire event in Riyadh. The 35-year-old is expected to take several months to recover.
Hrgovic, aged 31, emerged as the next mandatory challenger after Briton Daniel Dubois had his shot against Usyk last August. Usyk, currently training in Spain, is yet to finalize a new opponent, and his team is displeased with Fury’s late withdrawal.
This marks the third time a potential fight between the 37-year-old Usyk and Fury has fallen through. The most recent rescheduled date was moved from 23 December to 17 February after Fury’s heavy knockdown in his points win over MMA fighter Francis Ngannou in October.
Undisputed status remains uncertain, and Krassyuk expressed frustration, stating they’ve been waiting for Fury for over two years. The delay prompts the question of whether the undisputed fight will happen at all.
Saudi Arabia, known as a global boxing hub, faces scrutiny due to its human rights record, women’s rights abuses, criminalization of homosexuality, restriction of free speech, and involvement in the Yemen war. Despite these concerns, it has become a significant location for boxing events.