Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship on February 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury-Usyk was planned for December 23. However, Fury struggled in a tougher-than-expected bout with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh. Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was cut over the forehead and the left eye en route to a split-decision victory over Ngannou. In turn, Ngannou was making his Boxing odds pro debut. Fury, 35, was even dropped in Round 3, the seventh knockdown of his illustrious career.
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Heavyweight Championship Odds
| Date and Time: | February 17, 2024. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. |
| TV Coverage: | TNT Sports Box Office |
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk Odds
| Boxer | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tyson Fury | -172 |
| Oleksandr Usyk | +200 |
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk SBG Odds Overview
Fury and Usyk signed contracts for their long-awaited sportsbook battle for heavyweight supremacy weeks before “The Gyspy King” fought Ngannou. Following the decision was announced, Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) entered the ring to confront Fury and set up their showdown. Previously, Fury and Usyk were closing in on a deal to meet this past April at London’s Wembley Stadium. But talks collapsed at the 11th hour.
Oleksandr Usyk, 36, is an Olympic gold medalist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion. The Ukrainian holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles. Specifically, belts he won from Anthony Joshua in 2021. Usyk retained the Boxing odds titles in the rematch with another decision nod over Joshua last summer in Saudi Arabia. Now that the fight vs. Fury will take place in 2024, it ensures Usyk will go another year with only one fight. The last time Usyk fought multiple times in one year: 2018, when he competed three times.
Last time he fought in August, when he scored a ninth-round KO of Daniel Dubois in Poland. Usyk is ESPN’s No. 2 heavyweight and No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer. Fury entered the bout, rated No. 1 at heavyweight and No. 6 pound-for-pound.
Correlate that England’s Tyson Fury fought twice last year, both TKO wins at soccer stadiums in London. The bouts were in April vs. Dilian Whyte and December vs. Derek Chisora. This is Fury’s second title reign. He beat another Ukrainian, Wladimir Klitschko, in 2015 for three heavyweight titles via decision in an upset. However, Fury never defended those titles. Instead, he was out of the ring for two-and-a-half years due to depression and substance abuse. He was up to 400-plus pounds during that time.
After Fury returned from that hiatus, he established himself as one of boxing’s top stars. At the onset was a classic heavyweight title trilogy with Deontay Wilder. Fury stopped Wilder twice after a draw in the first meeting. Fury’s third fight with Wilder was ESPN’s 2021 Fight of the Year and KO of the Year. The Fury-Usyk deal contains a two-way rematch clause. Hence ensuring two consecutive fights between the pair for 10s of millions of dollars.
Fury vs. Ngannou Scare
Tyson Fury was forced to get up off the canvas as he claimed an incredibly controversial split decision victory. Specifically, Fury’s win was over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou, making his professional boxing debut, took Fury the distance. Accordingly, he put his opponent on the canvas in round three after connecting with a left hook.
Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion of the world, was able to recover. But he ended the fight with a cut forehead, as well as a small mark underneath his left eye. One judge scored it 95-94 in favor of the boxing novice Ngannou. But gave it to Fury at 96-93 and 95-94, preserving his undefeated record.