Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk card to feature returning former light-heavyweight champion
The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk card has now added Sergey Kovalev.
'The Gpysy King' and 'The Cat' will clash on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia. As most fans likely remember, the bout was rescheduled to that date after Fury's split-decision win over Francis Ngannou in October. Despite doubts that he would face the Ukranian after 'The Predator', they agreed on a new date last Fall.
As of now, the card is still being built. However, it has now received a new cruiserweight bout in the form of Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Safar. The latter is currently undefeated, holding a 16-0 and last scored a knockout win over Deshon Webster in April.
However, 'The Crusher' is a name that is familiar to many boxing fans. Kovalev is a former light-heavyweight champion who was dominant for years. However, back-to-back controversial defeats at the hands of Andre Ward halted his dominance.
In late 2019, the Russian suffered a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez. While many speculated that Kovalev would retire after that bout, he instead decided to move up in weight. In the summer of 2022, he scored a decision win over the undefeated Tervel Pulev, his first win at cruiserweight.
Now, Sergey Kovalev will look to hand Robin Safar his first loss in February.
Who else is fighting on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undercard?
As of now, the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk card can use a lot of work.
Obviously, the main attraction is the main event. The bout between 'The Gypsy King' and 'The Predator' will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis. 'The Lion' accomplished that feat well over two decades ago.
Now, the bout has added a cruiserweight bout in the form of Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Safar. Beyond that, former champion and rising star Jai Opetaia has been linked to the card. However, he has no opponent as of now.
Sadly, that's it for Tyson Fury's undercard. Meanwhile, Frank Warren has teased that there are some major fights on the way that will be announced shortly. Writing an op-ed for BoxingScene this week, the promoter said:
“This fight represents the pinnacle of the sport and it is something we have all been waiting for. From recent previous experience, we know our friends and colleagues in Saudi Arabia will more than do the occasion justice and we will be in a position to reveal the undercard shortly, which will not be short on surprises.”