Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has, again, said that he would like Tyson Fury as his next opponent as he urged the WBC heavyweight title holder to agree to a fight in early 2023. Usyk, who defeated Anthony Joshua back in August, called out Fury the night he won, saying he was going to fight Fury next. 

The Ukrainian has been mostly silent since his August victory and has not said anything about fighting Fury since then. But, speaking at a web summit in Lisbon on Wednesday, Usyk mentioned that his camp was working on setting up a fixture with Fury, adding that Fury was quite unpredictable. He said: “Right now, my team is seeking conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is really an unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when.” 

Fury’s unpredictable nature has been quite apparent recently, especially after he agreed to Usyk’s call for a fight and then offered Anthony Joshua a contract a few weeks later. 

Usyk said he would like his next fight to be at the beginning of next year, before or after the Lenten season: “For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian.

“During the great fasting before Easter, I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter (April 16).”

On why he wants Fury as his next opponent, Usyk said that he wanted the fourth heavyweight title and would not fight anybody else until he has it: “I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt, and I don’t want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt.”

Usyk appears to be very interested in a unification fight, as it would help solidify his status as the heavyweight king. Fury has the WBC title, which is one of the four major titles in the division – Usyk has the remaining three. 

As for where the fight would take place, a proud Usyk is hoping the fight can take place in his home country of UKRAINE. 

Leon Osamor