Bob Arum's Exclusive Update on Fury vs. Usyk Fight Date

October 5, 2023

Tyson Fury's upcoming schedule is packed with exciting bouts.

He is slated to face former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou on October 28th, 2023, in Saudi Arabia. In addition to this high-profile match, Fury has also committed to an undisputed title fight against Oleksandr Usyk. This significant showdown is reportedly targeted for either late December or January.

Reports indicate that Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of The General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, is determined to expedite the heavyweight unification bout. The final weekend of 2023 has emerged as a potential date for showcasing this epic matchup at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Such a timeline would necessitate Fury's return to the ring just eight weeks after the upcoming Ngannou bout, demanding that he be in peak form for both fights.

“It depends primarily on Fury’s condition after this Ngannou fight,” Arum said. “If Fury emerges with no hand problems, no cuts and so forth, it’ll be earlier rather than later. But it’ll be in the winter. It’ll be in the winter and will be certainly before Ramadan,” says Fury’s co-promoter, Bob Arum.

Ramadan, the sacred Muslim month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, is slated to commence on March 10, 2024, and culminate on April 8, 2024.

Bob Arum, when discussing the Fury vs. Usyk announcement, expressed his preference for it to occur after the Ngannou bout. This cautious approach considers the possibility of injuries or unexpected losses that could potentially affect the schedule. While such occurrences are unlikely, they could indeed lead to a delay in the fight date.

“I’m not so thrilled with the timing of the announcement,” said Arum. “But again, they know more than I do as far as what’s going on in the kingdom and so forth, so we go along with it. Could this announcement have waited until after the (upcoming Ngannou) fight? Of course. But again, they’re putting up the money. Understand that.”

As further details regarding the title unification bout remain pending, both Fury and Ngannou are diligently training with their respective camps in eager anticipation of their upcoming 10-round exhibition.