Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk could take place in Middle East before end of year, says Frank Warren

Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has said his fighter could face Oleksandr Usyk in the Middle East before the end of the year.

Usyk retained the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, outpointing Anthony Joshua for the second time in 11 months. Meanwhile, Fury has claimed to be retired in recent months but has not yet relinquished the WBC belt, meaning an undisputed title clash between the Briton and Usyk could be on the cards.

“Do I think it will be made? Yes I do,” Warren told talkSPORT. “Usyk’s team and the fighter said immediately after the [Joshua rematch], he wants it. I know Tyson wants it. Myself and [co-promoter] Bob Arum, we want it. It will just be how we make it work financially.

“There will be big demands from both boxers, and rightly so; this is a unique event, this is the biggest heavyweight title fight since Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier.

“It’s a huge fight because both are undefeated, all the belts are there to be won. A lot of people have a split opinion on who will win, which is great. This is boxing’s World Cup, our blue-riband event. We will make it happen, but where it takes place will be determined by finance.”

A December date has been rumoured for Fury vs Usyk, which would rule out the prospect of staging the bout at a UK stadium. The Middle East, however, is an option – according to Warren.

“At the end of the day, it’s [about going] where the most money can be generated,” he said. “There would [be huge demand to stage the fight in the UK], but where would you put it on? We wouldn’t be able to put it on until next year. It’s no good going to the Millennium Stadium; it doesn’t hold the same amount of people as Wembley does and can’t generate the same money.

“If it were to go on in the UK, it needs to be Wembley – and it can’t go on until the end of April or May next year. We want to get it on before then, while everybody is hot to trot and there are no mandatories force on in the mean time.

“If it were to go to the Middle East, it makes it better because of the time of year, as it won’t be so hot.”

Fury last competed in April, knocking out compatriot Dillian Whyte at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Fury, 33, has not boxed in the Middle East before but competed at a WWE event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2019. Riyadh was the host location for fellow Briton Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in the same year.

Meanwhile, Joshua vs Usyk 2 took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.