September 29 can be a historical day for heavyweight boxing as two recent title holders in the division signed the contract for the unification boot. Who will stand tall and celebrate the victory in Saudi Arabia, and what do bookies think about this?
The Unification bout in the Heavyweight has been a hot topic for Tyson Fury for years, and many expected him to face another British fighter – Anthony Joshua, a few years ago. However, the Gypsy King was busy with his mandatory fights against Deontay Wilder, especially after the draw in the first match, which led to even a third bout. After all, Fury got and retained his WBC belt, and the talks about unification began.
And while many expected the British derby in the Heavyweight, the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk came to the stage. Oleksandr won the World Boxing Super Series in the cruiserweight division in 2017-2018 alongside the Muhammad Ali trophy and aimed Anthony Joshua right in the ring. In just two fights in the new division, he received a mandatory bout against Joshua, and while Fury was busy with Wilder, Oleksandr shocked the world and grabbed three Anthony’s belts. After a successful rematch, a potential fight between Fury and Usyk became the main discussion topic in the boxing heavyweight but lacked concrete steps.
Nevertheless, Mike Coppinger shocked the world yesterday, stating that two heavyweights signed the contract for the unification bout. After a short pause, the sides confirmed the deal, although without an exact date for the fight. According to the available information, it should be December 2023 or January 2024. That is a historical moment as it will be the first unification bout in the history of heavyweight that will involve four belts; the latest one was in 1999 but with only three belts at stake.
Still, with no confirmed date and Fury’s exhibition fight against the dangerous Francis Ngannou, things may go wrong. However, the sides surely understand what is at stake, especially with the influence of Saudi Arabia and what did they offer to host the ‘bout of the century.’
With the shocking news arriving pretty late, boxing betting sites reacted immediately and offered their odds for the Usyk vs Fury fight:
Without a big surprise, the betting odds for Tyson Fury to win the fight are slimmer, taking into account his size and reach advantage. At the same time, the Ukraining has real chances to surprise a favorite, using his active playstyle with a lot of movement inside the ring, which can be a problem for the slow Gypsy King.
Despite the size difference in favor of the Brit, many believe that it is a 50/50 fight with both boxers to have chances for victory. Tyson Fury showed signs of vulnerability in his fights against Deontay Wilder and Otto Wallin, although he overcame them and did the job. His power and stamina are the other two heavy weapons that make a difference in the division and turn betting odds in his favor.
At the same time, betting on Usyk makes a lot of sense. He faced plenty of athlete boxers, and two victories over Joshua weren’t accidental as he overcame the bigger and stronger opponent, who couldn’t land any decisive shot. Oleksandr is the one who smartly uses his size and weight advantage in the ring, and the victory for him by decision won’t surprise anyone.
