WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has made his arrival in Saudi Arabia for his clash against IBF/WBA/WBO champ Oleksandr Usyk undisputed fight on May 18th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Will He or Won’t He? That’s the Question
Fans are already wondering whether the 35-year-old Fury pull out again with another mysterious injury like he did last time. There’s no trust in this one.
The good news is that Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) looks like he’s used his time well. He’s lost a lot of weight and appears rested from the extra three months his postponement gave him.
I think there’s a good bet Fury will make it to the ring this time because he’s slimmed down now, and he’s not going to want to give up a boatload of cash for pulling out a second time. Still, the trust is nonexistent.
I just don’t think Fury is mentally into the sport enough to be counted on 100% to make it to the ring against Usyk and deal with a possible schooling from the master boxer.
Tyson clearly needed that time extra time, as he looked fat, and the reports of him being dropped by his sparring partner Jai Opetaia suggested that he was not ready to step in the ring against the talented former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk on February 17th.
If Fury pulls out again, it will cost him $10 million because His Excellency has put in a penalty for this match. It’s too bad it wasn’t in place for the previously scheduled February Fury-Usyk fight because Fury would be $10M lighter in the pockets.
Why We’re Holding Our Breath
- History of unpredictable behavior: Fury retired before and he went on an eating binge to celebrate his win over 40-year-old Wladimir Klitschko. It’s impossible to predict what Fury will do.
- Mysterious injuries: That perfectly timed cut that Fury sustained last February raised eyebrows. What would have happened if he hadn’t received that injury?
- Zero Consequences: There was no penalty or consequences Fury suffered for pulling out of the fight with Usyk last February. The one that really suffered from it was Usyk, who put in all the backbreaking work in preparation for nothing, and had nothing to show for all that lost time.