Tyson Fury vs Oleksander Usyk fight cancellation explained as latest fitness update emerges

Tyson Fury has issued an injury update ahead of his upcoming fight with Oleksandr Usyk. The WBC heavyweight champion pulled out of his initial clash with the Ukrainian earlier this year after sustaining a cut in sparring.

Fury and Usyk were scheduled to face off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 17, but the clash will now take place on Saturday, May 18. For the first time in over two decades, an undisputed heavyweight champion will be crowned after Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.

With fight night on the horizon, Fury has shown off his physique. While flexing his muscles, the Wythenshawe-born boxer snapped a topless picture on Instagram, with the caption: "Undisputed incoming [100 emoji and green tick emoji] 18/5/24."

READ MORE: Deontay Wilder wants Tyson Fury fight after Oleksandr Usyk unification bout

READ MORE: Carl Froch claims Tyson Fury has accidentally given Oleksandr Usyk huge advantage

His post quickly went viral, tallying over 100,000 likes and almost 2,000 comments in just six hours. Tyson showed no sign of scarring or bruising around his right eye, which was gashed in training earlier this year.

After it was revealed that his fight with Usyk in February would be rescheduled, Paris Fury was left shaken by the news. Taking to her Instagram story, she wrote: "My full body was shaking with nerves when he showed me this cut, cus I wasn't there with him. He sounded so p****d off and disappointed but this is boxing (a dangerous sport) and these things can happen."

Fast forward a couple of months and Fury now looks ready to lock horns with Usyk. In a recent interview with Queensberry Promotions, the Gypsy King heaped tremendous praise on his opponent.

"Oleksandr Usyk's a real bad man and to underestimate Usyk you'd be a mug," said Fury, as quoted by the Mirror. "So I'm training hard for him, I'm doing everything I can. I respect Usyk as a man.

"I respect his career as well - Olympic champion, undisputed cruiserweight champion, unified heavyweight champion. You have to respect that, I'm fighting the real deal. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

"He's a southpaw, he's got good footwork, good boxing ability, technically sound. He's proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights because he's beat Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois."

Fury added: "I'm messing with an elite fighter who's got more than boxing ability. He's stubborn and he wants to win like I do. All of the talent and attributes aside, it will come down to who wants it most on the night.

"If he wants it more than him, he'll win and if I want it more than him then I'll win. I just think my will and determination will be more than his on the night."

Fury has the chance to etch himself into the history books later this month. He said: "To win them all back again would be fantastic. To get them all under one banner for the first time in 25 years...

"There have been a few heavyweight champions since then who haven't been able to get undisputed. It's a very special moment, especially for heavyweight boxing to have all the belts on the line and two unbeaten champions."