In a sad twist of fate, the February 17 ‘Ring of Fire’ event is postponed indefinitely. The event would have produced the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. However, now Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury have to settle who would take the title sometime in the future. 

The update comes from the Saudi organizers themselves through a lengthy press release yesterday, detailing why the action was necessary. The same was shared on X by Boxing Kingdom! Moreover, a clash between Usyk and Fury was long in the making, with Fury holding the WBC title and Usyk with the rest of the major belts. However, the organizers were forced to take action after an unfortunate injury in the training camp.

Tyson Fury is the reason behind the postponement of the event

The press release shared on X reveals, “Riyadh Season announced today that the much-anticipated boxing match between WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and unified Champion Oleksandr Usyk, named “Ring of Fire,” has been postponed.” As for the reason behind the postponement, the Saudis pointed to an injury Tyson Fury suffered in his training camp.

“The decision comes after Fury suffered an unfortunate cut above his right eye during a training session in Riyadh,” per Riyadh season press release. The Saudis claimed the fight would be rescheduled at a later date and the tickets would be refunded to the buyers. It goes on to shed light on Fury’s injury and a potential timeline for the fight!

“A spokesperson for Tyson Fury expressed his disappointment, acknowledging the tremendous efforts made by numerous parties to bring this historic event to fruition. Once the medical team has evaluated Fury’s eye, a clearer understanding of the recovery timeframe will emerge,” per the press release. The organizers asserted that all stakeholders, including the organizers, are diligently involved in rescheduling the event and promise to provide regular and timely updates on the same.

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The press release also emphasized Fury’s comments on the unfortunate news, highlighting his disappointment with the incident. “A disheartened Fury shared his sentiments, expressing his devastation at the setback after months of dedicated preparation and peak physical condition. He extended his apologies to all individuals impacted by the postponement, including his team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, fans, and the gracious hosts in Riyadh Season,” per the press release. 

Despite eagerly anticipating the clash for months, circumstances are leading to an extended wait. Meanwhile, fans will get to witness Fury’s last opponent, Francis Ngannou, take on Anthony Joshua in March. This fight may determine who would go toe-to-toe with the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk. What are your thoughts on the matter? Were you waiting for the fight? When do you think the fight will happen? 

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