Although Tyson Fury is a heavy favourite to beat (see destroy) Francis Ngannou on Saturday night (live on ESPN PPV) in Saudi Arabia, ANYTHING could happen – on paper at least. Seen by most as a “warm up” affair for the reigning (but not defending) WBC heavyweight champ, Saturday’s bout (which may not go on Fury’s pro record) is basically a starter ahead of the main event, this being the undisputed clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
And Fury, who spoke to Sky Sports, says Usyk “has to” face him in December, that his rival heavyweight ruler “doesn’t have a choice.” Fury doesn’t seem at all worried he may suffer a cut or some other injury in the Ngannou bout, let alone a defeat, which could force a delay of the four-belt dust-up. Fury says he will take Ngannou out inside six rounds and that he will then deal with “sausage” Usyk.
“Usyk’s a sausage,” Fury stated. “I expect it to be taking place in December, that’s what I’ve been told, so I’ve got no reason to disbelieve it. Usyk has to fight me in December, doesn’t have a choice. He signed the contract, so if he doesn’t, he’s breached the contract and he gets sued. So he doesn’t really have a choice.”
The talked of date is December 23, just eight weeks after the Fury-Ngannou fight. Usyk recently spoke about his desire to get in a 14-week training camp for the Fury fight. That won’t happen unless Usyk has already got six weeks of real training under his belt. Fury, whatever you think of the Ngannou fight, should be match fit as a result of having got into the ring with the MMA giant, so the 35 year old could take a few days off after Saturday and then go right back into camp.
We fans really don’t care about the details (although of course we want to see both Fury and Usyk enter a ring in tip-top, no excuses shape) – we just want to see this fight happen. And, whether you choose to fully believe Fury or not, he is at least telling us all the right things in this regard.
Fury to enjoy himself in a workout/sparring session with Ngannou, before he squares up with Usyk in what is potentially his toughest, trickiest fight yet just a couple of months later?
We sure hope so.
![Tyson Fury Says Oleksandr Usyk “Has To” Face Him In December: “[He] Doesn't Have A Choice”](https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/fury-usyk.jpg "Photo: Tyson Fury Says Oleksandr Usyk “Has To” Face Him In December: “[He] Doesn't Have A Choice”")