Due to a cut sustained during practice, Tyson Fury was forced to withdraw from his undisputed world heavyweight championship match against Oleksandr Usyk.
On February 17, all four belts were scheduled to be contested, with Fury and Usyk eventually going head-to-head in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
But on Friday night, Fury—the WBC champion—and Queensberry Promotions announced that the bout had to be postponed because of a deep cut above his right eye.
The wound was described as “significant” and “required urgent medical attention” in a Queensberry statement.
FURY VS USYK STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/z7nf4Q3N70
Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) February 2, 2024
“I am absolutely devastated,” Fury continued. I’m sorry for everyone who was a part of this significant occasion, and I promise to work hard to have the new date set as soon as the eye heals.
Following his comeback from a knockdown to defeat former UFC heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou in October, the 35-year-old had arranged the much-anticipated showdown with Usyk.
Although no replacement date has been announced as of yet, boxing reporter Dan Rafael said on X that negotiations are in progress for Filip Hrgovic, the IBF mandatory challenger, to replace Usyk on February 17 at short notice.
It’s unclear whether that is feasible, as Hrgovic was supposed to fight either Usyk or Fury’s winner later in the year or a different opponent for the vacant belt.
