Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are ready and the talk is over, with the heavyweights set to meet in the ring tonight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The fight will give boxing clarity, with Fury and Usyk rising above Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder at the top of the heavyweight division, which will have the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years.
The fight has divided opinion for weeks, with former world champion Richie Woodhall tipping Fury’s size, which many believe will prove pivotal, to grind down his Ukrainian foe.
“I think Tyson Fury will be that step too far for Usyk, too big, he’s difficult to get to, if he boxes at range,” says Woodhall. “I think a late stoppage for Tyson Fury.”
Fans can finally see Fury, 35, who will carry the WBC title into the Kingdom Arena, and Usyk, 37, putting the WBA, WBO and IBF straps on the line, settle the debate once and for all. Here’s everything you need to know about the fight:
When is the fight?
Fury vs Usyk is set to take place on Saturday 18 May at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The main card is due to begin at 5pm BST (9am PT / 11pm CT / 12pm ET). The official comment on the start time suggests a first bell at 10:30pm BST (2:30pm PT / 4:30pm CT / 5:30pm ET), but the main-event ring walks and fight could start at 11pm BST (3pm PT / 5pm CT / 6pm ET) or later.
How can I watch it?
In an unprecedented move, the fight will air live on DAZN, Sky Sports Box Office and TNT Sports Box Office in the UK. The event will be on pay-per-view on each platform, with DAZN also broadcasting the fight card worldwide.
The fight card will cost £24.95 on Sky Sports and £24.99 on TNT. A TNT subscription is not required to purchase the broadcaster’s pay-per-view. DAZN has priced the event at £24.99 for new subscribers (who will also receive a free month’s subscription for that fee) and £23.99 for existing customers. Purchase a subscription to DAZN here, with plans starting at £9.99 a month.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
What are the odds?
Fury – 10/11
Usyk – 10/11
Draw – 16/1
Via Betway. Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers.
How much are the fighters earning?
Reports suggest that Fury is contracted to earn around 70 per cent of a total purse thought to be worth around $150m (£116m), with a clause stating Fury must donate £1m of his earnings to Ukraine amid its ongoing war against Russia.
While the final figure will not be known until after the fight, Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum has claimed that his fighter will earn more than $100m (£78m) from the showdown.
“If you told Tyson Fury he’s set to make $100m, he’d really get p***ed off because he thinks, and I think he’s right, that he’s going to make a lot more,” said Arum. “I don’t know the number, but it’s a lot more than $100m.”
Full card (subject to change)
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk (IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight titles)
Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis 2 (vacant IBF cruiserweight title)
Joe Cordina (C) vs Anthony Cacace (IBF super-featherweight title)
Agit Kabayel vs Frank Sanchez (heavyweight)
Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan Safar (cruiserweight)
Mark Chamberlain vs Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab (lightweight)
Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi (featherweight)
Moses Itauma vs Ilja Mezencev (heavyweight)
David Nyika vs Michael Seitz (cruiserweight)
Daniel Lapin vs Octavio Pudivitr (light-heavyweight)
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