Oleksandr Usyk gives reason for Tyson Fury delay as new fight date emerges

Oleksandr Usyk has said that he wants his heavyweight clash with Tyson Fury to take place in February.

The Ukrainian was due to fight Fury in Saudi Arabia on December 23 but the fight was then delayed. The Gypsy King made hard work out of an exhibition with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and his team felt he needed more time to get ready for a fight with Usyk.

When asked about when he wanted the fight to be, Usyk told Reuters via an interpreter: "It could be February and I would very much like it to be February. I was ready to fight on the 23rd but since Fury got some injuries in the last fight, a knockdown, then probably it will be postponed to next year."

Fury's promoter, Frank Warren, was adamant that his client was not getting into the ring on the scheduled December date. He took charge of the situation straight after the Ngannou fight.

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Warren told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Tyson can't be going into a camp after a tough fight like that. That's eight weeks away.

"He needs at least a bit of time to get himself, his body, back into shape. Let it heal. Then get into a camp. It will be on early next year."

Fury's fight with Usyk comes with a lot of anticipation because neither fighter has lost a professional fight. That is why is is dubbed the 'undisputed' clash and Usyk remains confident that the rescheduling will not affect him.

"I'll just do more technical work. Technically, nothing changes. I just have a little more time for some additional tasks, and that's it," he said.

"I don't think about Fury at all - I think about myself, about