WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has made it clear that Oleksandr Usyk will have to fight him in the month of December or face a lawsuit.
Usyk, the WBO, IBO, IBF, WBA champion, saw action back in August, when he knocked out mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
Fury returns to the ring on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, where he faces former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a non-title crossover boxing match.
There is already a deal in place for Fury and Usyk to collide, with both boxers signing contracts.
Fury warns that Usyk has no way out of the situation and has to go forward with the fight. Their contest will also land in Saudi Arabia.
“Usyk’s a sausage,” Fury said to Sky Sports. “I’m expecting it to take place in December, that’s what I’ve been told, so I’ve got no reason to disbelieve it for sure.
“Usyk has to fight me in December, doesn’t have a choice. He’s signed a contract so if he doesn’t, he’s breached contract and he gets sued, so doesn’t really have a choice.”
Fury also took a swipe at his division rivals, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Joshua and Wilder are in talks to fight each other. The bout was initially targeted to take place in the month of December, but now it’s being targeted for the first quarter of 2024. Joshua is potentially going to take part in a stay-busy fight in December.
Fury is not concerned with facing either fighter, because the fight with Usyk has a two-way rematch clause. He expects Joshua and Wilder to wait around for some time to secure a title shot.
“They’re both out in the cold and they’re both frozen so it doesn’t really matter,” Fury said.