Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: Date, UK start time, prize money, undercard and how to watch fight
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to finally meet to decide the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
A “freak” cut to Fury’s face delayed the fight earlier this year, but the highly anticipated fight is now set with new ramifications for either fighter, including a heavy fine, should there be another withdrawal.
Fury is rebounding from a poor performance against Francis Ngannou, where he was dropped by the former UFC heavyweight champion and narrowly escaped defeat on the scorecards.
Usyk, meanwhile, is entering the contest after an entertaining ninth-round stoppage of British contender Daniel Dubois, who appeared to hurt the Ukrainian to the body during the contest. A rematch clause for Fury and Usyk could make for two undisputed fights in a matter of months.
The winner could well take on Anthony Joshua later this year, who ruthlessly knocked out Ngannou to reassert his position as one of the heavyweight divisions elite fighters.
Here’s everything we know about the fight and you can check out the latest boxing odds and tips here.
When is the fight?
Fury and Usyk’s historic 12-round undisputed heavyweight title clash is set for Saturday, 18 May at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Based on previous blockbuster cards in Saudi Arabia, we can expect the preliminary bouts to get underway from 3pm GMT (7am PT, 9am CT, 10am ET), with the main card from 6pm GMT (10am PT, 12pm CT, 1pm ET).
While the main event ringwalks will take place from 10:10pm GMT onwards (2:10pm PT, 4:10pm CT, 5:10pm ET).
How to watch
The fight broadcast will be carried by TNT Sports Box Office and Sky Sports PPV. The price for the PPV is yet to be finalised since the rearranged date, but the previous Fury v Ngannou PPV was priced at £21.95 (HD only) in the UK, with this event likely to be at a similar price.
Odds
Fury – 4/5
Usyk – 1/1
Draw – 14/1
Odds via Betway. Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers here.
Prize money
Reports suggest Fury is contracted to earn around 70 per cent of a total purse thought to be worth around $150m (£116m), with a clause included 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 promoter Bob Arum has claimed 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 pissed 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 - for the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles
Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace - for IBF super-featherweight title
Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis - for vacant IBF cruiserweight title
Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan Safar
Bakhodir Jalolov vs TBA
Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
Moses Itauma vs TBA
David Nyika vs TBA
