Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk vie for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world on May 18 in Riyadh. The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast on ESPN+ and DAZN PPV in the U.S. while TNT Sports, DAZN PPV and Sky Box Office will carry the event in the U.K.
Fury is the WBC heavyweight champion, having beaten Deontay Wilder in 2020 to win the belt. In 2015, the English star burst onto the world scene by claiming the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring belts at the expense of Wladimir Klitschko.
"The Gypsy King" suffered a cut in sparring that delayed the Usyk fight for three months. Now, a fully committed Fury is determined to reach the top of the mountain.
"I've been in many heavyweight title fights before. And now is the most important one," Fury said at a press conference. "We’re both undefeated. He's a champion; I'm a champion. And it's going to be one of the fights for the ages.
"I believe we're both destined to be here. And there's only one winner. I'm destined to become undisputed champion."
WATCH: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, live on DAZN
Usyk is a former undisputed cruiserweight champion. The Ukrainian lefty beat Anthony Joshua in 2021 for the IBF, WBA, and WBO heavyweight titles before adding The Ring belt with another victory in the rematch. The Ring championship had been declared vacant following Fury's brief retirement.
The May 18 fight is the first time an undisputed champion will be crowned at heavyweight since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in November 1999.
Not only will the main titles be on the line, but thanks to Saudi Arabia's General Minister for Entertainment Turki Alalshikh, another special belt will be on the line.
Fury vs Usyk: What is the Undisputed Championship Belt?
Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority for Saudi Arabia, is looking to make this fight one to remember.
In the middle of a press conference announcing Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, Alalshikh presented the Undisputed Championship Belt, which has been made for the winner of Fury vs. Usyk.
It is designed to acknowledge the singular best heavyweight on the planet, with the winner of Fury or Usyk set to become the holder of all the main titles from the major sanctioning bodies.
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The belt is gold and black, with red lettering displaying "UNDISPUTED" in the middle. The title is designed with premium leather, with the main plate made up of gold and silver, as well as matte black leather.
This belt will wait for Fury or Usyk … made specifically for this fight … for the first time 4 belts undisputed in the same fight … fight of the century… Ring Of Fire 18th of May 2024 ❤️🇸🇦🥊 pic.twitter.com/WXCWv8ObIf
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) February 5, 2024
The title is not designed to replace the other sanctioned belts. It is unique in its own right.
"Whoever wins the [Fury vs Usyk] fight has got the belt," Frank Warren said via talkSPORT. "It's not one any governing body is going to take away, they don't have mandatories. The winner is the unified champion, so anyone who fights him will be fighting for that right."