Tyson Fury confirms plan for trilogy fight against Oleksandr Usyk on one condition – as heavyweight stars get ready for much-hyped rematch

Tyson Fury has suggested a trilogy fight against bitter rival Oleksandr Usyk will happen but only if one particular condition is met.

The Ukrainian beat the Gypsy King on points in May to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion, coming back from a rocky few rounds in the middle of the bout to finish strongly. 

Indeed, Usyk almost put Fury away in the ninth round of an absorbing fight, rocking the Brit with a flurry of 14 unanswered punches which left his opponent leaning on the ropes for support.

The 36-year-old somehow survived the onslaught and made it to the end of the contest but the Ukrainian has recently claimed he can learn from the first bout and perform even better in the rematch.

The fight is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 21, with the Gypsy King seeking revenge. 

And Fury has now confirmed plans for a third bout against his currently unbeaten opponent but he accepts he will need to win the rematch first.

In a recent interview on DAZN featuring the heavyweight stars, the Mancunian’s promoter Frank Warren said: ‘A lot of journalists and what you read afterwards, they were saying whoever won the fight was going to be the best heavyweight of the 21st century, the fight unified champion and they’d go up there with all the greats of the past.

‘I’m glad they’ve said that because, at the moment, Oleksandr got the result and won the split decision, but [if] Tyson wins it, that’s where that mantle will go. That he is the best of his generation.’

Fury then butted in to disagree with Warren, saying: ‘No Frank, there will be a rematch. A trilogy. There’s got to be. 

‘If he wins one and I win one, I can’t say I’m better and he can’t say he’s better. There has to be a third one.’

The Gypsy King was back to his outspoken best throughout the interview, labelling Usyk a ‘b****’ and confidently claiming he will win the fight in a fortnight’s time.

Fury has until now maintained a low profile as he continues to work through an intense training camp alongside trainer Sugar Hill Steward. 

His previous defeat saw him outclassed in the ring by Usyk who again delivered on his underdog status and displayed incredible athleticism to negate the difference in height and reach.

But, Fury seems to be aiming to make the most of his size advantage against Usyk this time around with the 36-year-old looking to have packed on serious muscle mass ahead of the mouthwatering contest.

The Wythenshawe-born boxer has been recruiting a vast array of sparring partners in preparation to take on the Ukrainian, with Kevin Lerena amongst those hired by Fury’s training team.

The duo went toe-to-toe in a series of intense sparring sessions and the South African shared an image of the pair standing side-by-side afterwards, with the Gypsy King’s giant figure taking fans by surprise. 

Excitement levels for the upcoming bout went up a notch as a sensational horror movie-like trailer for the contest was released this week.

The two-minute clip shows Usyk and Fury appearing in each other’s daily lives with the rematch constantly playing on their minds.

The Gypsy King gets spooked on several occasions when Usyk’s face appears on everyday people – such as a nurse, police officer and even a little girl.

The most disturbing moment for Fury came when he was sitting down with his wife Paris, who claimed the heavyweight boxer had been distant ever since the first fight with Usyk.

As she reached out to grab Fury’s hand and tell the 36-year-old about how much she missed him, her face morphed into Usyk’s. Fury, who was horrified by the sight of Usyk’s face on his wife’s shoulders, pushed his plate off the table and stormed out of the room. 

The trailer also played homage to the moment John Fury headbutted a member of Usyk’s team in the build-up to the first fight in Saudi Arabia.