On May 18th in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia a true world heavyweight championship bout will take place in the city of Riyadh. WBC champion Tyson Fury and IBF/WBO/WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk collide in the “Ring of Fire” with the victor seizing all of the Heavyweight belts. This “Fight of the Century” is staged as part of Vision 2030 and organized by the General Entertainment Authority directed by His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh. On Wednesday, Fury sat for a press conference in Morcambe, UK, to share his thoughts on the contest before he packs his bags for Riyadh. Reflecting on the postponement of the fight from February to May due to a fcut he suffered in a sparring accident, Fury revealed his outlook on the situation: “At first, I was a little bit depressed for the first day or so, but afterwards, like all things in life, I realized God’s timing is impeccable. It’s not late, it’s not early – but it’s bang on time.” It wasn’t my time to fight for the championship then, but it is going to be my time on May 18th, so I’m really preparing fantastic for it.” he remarked.
The sheer magnitude of this spectacle hasn’t escaped the man at the centre of it all: “It’s not just a sporting event. It’s a cultural event. And I’m absolutely buzzing for it.”
Tyson’s respect for his opponent, Oleksandr Usyk, was evident as he lauded the Ukrainian’s achievements. “As a fighter, he’s undisputed cruiserweight champion. He’s unified heavyweight champion. So anyone would have to respect the man’s achievements. I’ve seen some stuff in the media, like, this is really personal between me and Oleksandr Usyk. It’s not personal. It’s strictly business for both fighters.”
He continued, “I’ve got a tough challenge in front of me, but I’m very confident in my ability and I’m very confident that I’ll beat the guy. This is a genuine, 50-50 fight. This is not a gimmick. And I believe, with all my heart, that I’ll get the job done, and I’m pretty sure he does too – that’s what makes this so exciting.”
Despite the mutual respect shared between the two fighters, Fury outlined what he believes will give him the winning edge in the contest, citing the difficulties cruiserweights can have when transitioning up to the heavyweight division.
“Me being an encyclopaedia on boxing; I’ve studied every heavyweight and cruiserweight that’s ever lived. When the cruiserweights step up to the big boys, usually they get found wanting. Even the greatest cruiserweights that’s ever lived; Evander Holyfield – when he stepped up to the big boys against Lewis, he was found waning [lacking]. You can beat the average big ones, but you can’t beat the elite big ones – because size really matters. If you look at David Haye – he was an explosive, good cruiserweight and good heavyweight. When he fought average heavyweights, he could beat them. But when he stepped up to the big boy in (Wladimir) Klitschko, it wasn’t really a contest. I’m not slagging anybody off, but what I’m saying is these are facts. I’ve studied this game all my life, and you cannot prove it wrong.”
In terms of preparation, Fury emphasized the importance of effort and consistency. “What I’m trying to do every single day, is just stay disciplined, stay focused, and stay hungry, and, you know, hopefully, that will take me to the next level,” he shared. “That’s what I’m trying to do, every single day, is just visualize it, believe it, and then achieve it. Just have that mindset of a champion.”
As the countdown to the historic showdown continues, Tyson Fury concluded with a powerful declaration: “This is my time, my era, my generation.”
