Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to face off in a historic bout for the undisputed heavyweight title on Saturday, May 18, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This highly anticipated fight will crown the division’s first undisputed champion in the four-belt era, a title not held since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight title, and Usyk, the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titleholder, will compete with significant financial stakes. Fury is guaranteed £81.5 million from the event, dubbed the ‘Ring Of Fire,’ with pay-per-view revenues expected to push his earnings beyond £100 million, potentially elevating him to one of the world’s highest-paid athletes according to Forbes.

The fight, broadcast globally by DAZN and on pay-per-view by ESPN in the U.S. and Sky Sports in the UK, has been a long time coming, marked by postponed dates due to various delays. Fury, known for his victories over stars such as Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder, aims to reassert his dominance following a challenging match against Francis Ngannou. Usyk, who conquered the cruiserweight division before moving to heavyweight, defended his titles against Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Both fighters are undefeated, with Fury holding 34 wins and one draw, and Usyk having won all 21 of his professional bouts. The contest will be a tactical clash, with Fury’s physical advantage of a 6 feet 9 inches height and 85-inch reach against Usyk’s 6 feet 3 inches height and 78-inch reach.

The event underscores Saudi Arabia’s significant investments in sports, particularly in boxing, as part of a broader strategy that includes backing top athletes and sports events. The Kingdom’s involvement has brought substantial financial benefits to fighters, including potential future matchups such as another high-profile bout between Fury and former champion Anthony Joshua.