TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk have agreed to a HUGE wager if either fighter pulls out of their bout in Saudi Arabia.
The highly-anticipated heavyweight title fight was delayed once again this week after Fury suffered a gash above his eye while sparring.
The fight had previously been delayed following Fury’s closer than expected battle with Francis Ngannou last year.
But that February 17 rearrangement has now been pushed back to May 18 following Fury’s eye injury.
And both fighters have agreed to a bizarre wager should they pull out of facing each other for good.
While announcing the new date on a YouTube broadcast, Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh claimed that any fighter who cancels will have to pay up £10MILLION.
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He said: “I have delayed it for May 18, I guarantee for both of the fighters £10million if someone escapes from the fight.
“We will make the people around the world know if someone is scared.”
Alalshikh confirmed that the crazy cash punishment will have to be paid out of the fighter’s own pocket.
He also went on to explain that he would ensure a huge fight would take place on May 18 regardless of a late pull-out and has claimed that could even be Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury.
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He explained: “I guarantee there will be another big fight on the same night [if it is cancelled].
“If Usyk is scared then I will call for Joshua vs Fury and if Fury is scared I will call for any fighter that Usyk wants.
“This is the fight of the century.”
There’s so much at stake when the pair come to blows with four heavyweight titles on the line that would produce the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years.
Will Tyson Fury really be ready for Usyk on May 18?
TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk will now meet on May 18 after their undisputed fight was rescheduled following the Gypsy King’s horror cut in training.
It could mean Fury has just 17 DAYS to fully prepare for the mouthwatering clash.
Here, SunSport boxing expert Wally Downes Jr reveals whether the Brit will be fully prepared for the task at hand…
Fury insists he only needed 11 stitches on the gash over his right eye, promoter Frank Warren had earlier said 14, and it did look to be healing nicely when he appeared online to debate Usyk on Saturday evening.
Whichever it is, it makes this new scratch sound like a paper cut compared to the axe wound he suffered against Otto Wallin in 2019.
Doctors will try to ban Fury from any physical activity while the cut heals and then prescribe a very slow return to training and only when it is completely repaired will he be advised to spar.
However, trying to tell the 35-year-old Gypsy King what he can and cannot do might be a tall order for the little doctor charged with the task of policing the 6ft 9ins 20st maverick.
The maths suggests he might only have 17 days of sparring to prepare for the super-talented southpaw, who grabbed gold at London 2012 and became undisputed cruiserweight king.
And, while Fury is supposedly resting up and recovering from this latest set-back, Usyk will still be training his mind and body, doing practice rounds with giants and growing in confidence.
While Fury is sidelined, he will undoubtedly gain weight. He was as big as 22st just eight weeks out from his October scare against Francis Ngannou, so he still has not tamed his appetite.
And Fury fans will definitely worry that an enforced break, another stumbling block and another scar target for Usyk to aim his punches at, will all play into the 37-year-old Ukraine icon’s favour on May 18.
The fight is expected to be shown in the UK on three channels as Sky Sports, TNT Sports and DAZN have all purchased broadcasting rights.
Although the drama has already started after Fury stormed out of tonight’s interview after supposed comments about his wife Paris were brought up.
The Gypsy King took issue with Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas who has called him a “coward” for dropping out of the February 17 fight.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
