Tyson Fury’s undisputed title clash with Oleksandr Usyk will now take place on May 18 in Riyadh.
The highly-anticipated bout had been scheduled to take place on February 17 but was postponed after Fury sustained an injury during training.
The Gypsy King suffered a severe cut above his right eye on Friday while sparring, which has been labelled by his promotion team as a ‘freak cut’.
The nasty wound required stitches, leading to the postponement of the undisputed heavyweight contest.
Fans were devastated by the news and took to social media to question whether the bout would ever happen.
Tyson Fury’s bout with Oleksandr Usyk will now take place on May 18 after it was postponed
His excellency Turki Alslshik said that both fighters have promised to forfeit £8m if they pull out of the fight
Alslshik also said he wanted Fury to fight Anthony Joshua (pictured) if Usyk pulls out of the May 18 fight, while Usyk can fight who he wants if the Gypsy King does so a second time
Fury in an Instagram video said he was caught with an elbow that nearly cost him the ‘biggest fight of his career’
However, his excellency Turki Alalshikh has confirmed the undisputed heavyweight title fight will now take place on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
He revealed that both fighters promised to forfeit $10m (£8m) if they pulled out of the fight and that he wanted Fury to fight Anthony Joshua if Usyk withdrew from the bout in three months.
He told The MMA Hour: ‘We’ve delayed this fight until 18 May, I’ve guaranteed both fighters 10 million if someone has escaped the fight. I also guarantee another big fight on the same night.
‘I will make fans around the world know if someone is scared for this fight. If Usyk is scared I will call for [Anthony] Joshua-Tyson, if Tyson is scared I will call for another fighter that Usyk wants. I don’t want them to fight in front of the fans but on the 18th May we will have an answer.’
He also reaffirmed that Fury vs Usyk has a rematch clause which could impact Joshua’s first fight after his bout with Francis Ngannou on March 8.
If Joshua beats the former MMA star, he is unlikely to fight the winner of the undisputed clash straight away – and instead could face Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF title.
Meanwhile, Fury – who was sat beside his excellency – said: ‘Yesterday morning sparring, arranged to spar 12 rounds with four different guys. In round five I got an elbow in the eye, been to the hospital and got 11 stitches – nothing much anything can do about cut in sparring, s*** happens.’
He added: ‘I was very disappointed, I’ve been in Saudi Arabia five weeks training and everything was going fantastic.
WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT
This is the nasty laceration above Tyson Fury’s right eye which forced the fight to be postponed
Fury (left) was originally due to fight Usyk on February 17 before the news came out on Friday
Fury has been sparring Moses Itauma (7-0) Kevin Lerena (30-2) and Alexis Barriere (11-0)
‘It’s a cut that you can’t help and these things happen in camp sometimes. I know His Excellency has spent a lot of money on promotion, there’s nothing that anybody can do. It’s gods will.’
Fury has since posted a video on his Instagram account in which he said: ‘We’ve got a new fight date very quickly I suppose. Upsetting for a lot of people but refreshing for a lot of good people.’
He added: ‘In life sometimes s***ty things happen but you never let it get to you, you always keep moving forward.’
Fury then showed a close up of the cut over his eye while saying ‘look at that b****** right there’.
He continued: ‘Nice little elbow right in the eye. Nearly cost me the biggest fight of my career but what can you do? S*** happens and you move on.
‘We now have a new date. Usyk’s crying his eyes out “Tyson should retire” – no retirement here mother f***** you’re getting knocked spark out.’
Usyk’s team goaded Fury after the news, with his promoter Alexander Krassyuk writing him a message with a subtle dig.
‘Wish you the soonest recovery,’ he said in response to Fury’s post. ‘God sent you a sign. Think of retirement brother.’
Meanwhile, Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas went on a brutal X-rated rant and said Fury would ‘do anything not to face’ the IBF, WBA and WBO champion.
He is quoted by Ring Magazine as saying: ‘Fury is a f****** coward who will do anything not to face Usyk, and he asked his b**** to hit him with a frying pan in his brow. You can quote me word for word for that.’
Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk couldn’t resist the chance to goad Fury after the news
However, the fight will go ahead, with Queensbury Promotions confirming the news on social media.
The postponement was the latest setback for the showdown between the pair, who were slated to fight this time last year before both men walked away from negotiations – despite Usyk agreeing to a 70-30 split in the Gypsy King’s favour – when Fury asked to remove the rematch clause.
Fury’s cut was on the same right eye that required 47 stitches back in 2019 following a nasty gash inflicted by Otto Wallin.
In that bout, Fury was caught by a series of Wallin’s hooks and he was left with a nasty laceration above his right eye.