Tyson Fury Vs. Oleksandr Usyk Targeted For Super Bowl Weekend

The undisputed heavyweight championship might be making further progress.

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Usyk might air on the same weekend, or the weekend after the NFL’s 57th Super Bowl in February 2023, according to ESPN’s Mark Kriegel. It is “most likely” going to take place in the Middle East.

“It’s going to happen,” Kriegel said during Saturday’s ESPN broadcast of the Jose Pedraza vs. Richard Commey lightweight bout. “How do I know this? What’s the source of contention in the lead-up to every big fight? The purse split.

“Is it 70-30, 60-40? This one is going to be 50-50. I spoke to Bob Arum today. He said that is a given. My other sources agree. So, we have one point of contention completely out of the way, or supposedly. That’s welcome news, proof to me the fight’s going to happen.”

“…You may have seen reports this week that the Saudis want to host it in December. Don’t hold your breath on that. Quote, ‘highly unlikely,’ according to Arum and others I spoke to.

“Likely date now: February, Super Bowl weekend, or maybe the week after, probably the Mid[dle] East, but not necessarily Saudi Arabia. Remember, there’s also Abu Dhabi, could be a player, Qatar could be a player, and still an outside shot that the UK gets it.”

Usyk-Fury has been getting more chatter ever since Usyk recorded another decision win against former champion Anthony Joshua on August 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and ever since Fury informed his promoters on Friday to tell the WBC that he intends to resume his boxing career.

Fury’s co-promoter, Frank Warren, has stated that the unification fight will be made.

Usyk previously said that a fight with Fury is all he wants; if he doesn’t get that fight, then he won’t fight again. Usyk is one of three former cruiserweight champions to win a heavyweight title.