Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury

IBF Rescinds Hrgovic mandate, Oleksandr Usyk v. Tyson Fury inches closer to finish line

Boxing is a big business and often times it holds up what fans truly want to see. (We’re looking at you, Bud Crawford and Errol Spence). Today, the IBF rescinded their order of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Filip Hrgovic which paves the way for the long awaited heavyweight unification bout for 2023.

Unification: Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury

Many thought that the ordering of Filipino Hrgovic would put an end to the unification bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Fans want it, Usyk wants it, and Fury says he wants it. But the IBF, whose title is held by Usyk, ordered Hrgovic and fans feared boxing the business reared its ugly head again.

It has been since the Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua reigns that fans have been salivating over the potential of a heavyweight unification bout which would be the biggest in all of boxing. Business, politics, money and mandatories have all been partly to blame for the holdup on what would be the biggest boxing match since Fury-Klitschko all those years ago.

Oleksandr Usyk is the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and moved to heavyweight. There he defeated Anthony Joshua twice and proved himself to be a legit heavyweight champ. Usyk hopes to unify his second division and cement himself as one of boxing’s most accomplished fighters in the four-belt era.

Tyson Fury, on the other hand, had been there and done that. His defeat of Wladimir Klitschko gave Fury the titles, the lineal title, and the fame. Since then, it’s been up and down with his mental health, but he’s made his return and claimed the title and the attention of the boxing world, holding it hostage at his will. His last win was, of course, his schalaking of Derek Chisora late last year after failed attempts at Fury-Joshua.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are now inches closer to the incredibly important unification bout.

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Blaine Henry
Your friendly neighborhood fight fan. I watch way too many fights and my wife lets me know it.