Usyk urges Fury to agree for their undisputed bout in 2023
The Ukrainian was last seen fighting in August
KARACHI: Oleksandr Usyk has vowed to only take on Tyson Fury in the future and has urged the 'unpredictable' heavyweight champion to agree to a match in the early months of 2023.
The Ukrainian was last seen fighting in August, when he defeated Anthony Joshua in Jeddah and successfully defended his WBA, IBF, and WBO titles.
After Usyk's victory in Saudi Arabia, negotiations for an undisputed heavyweight matchup with WBC champion Fury began. However, the Brit will instead face Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next month.
As a result, the wait for all the championships to be on the line continues, and even if Usyk is keen to face Fury, they will have to enter the ring by March 4 else they will have to wait until later in the year due to Fury's religious obligations.
"Right now my team is seeking conversations with Tyson Fury and he is really an unpredictable person so we can't guarantee when," Usyk told the PA.
"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). 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 will pay special attention to his rival's fight on December 3 against veteran heavyweight Chisora before he can concentrate on a prospective matchup with Fury.
The former cruiserweight questioned the necessity of the third meeting between the British duo.
"I don't know why he needs this fight. Maybe he thinks because it would be one year without a fight, now he needs it. I think it is some manoeuvre because I don't know why he needs this," the Ukrainian added.
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