Why Fury and Oleksandr Usyk aren’t just fighting for belts and bragging rights

Once known as the richest prize in sport, winning the undisputed heavyweight championship means entry to an elite pantheon of legends, writes Steve Bunce in Riyadh. Tonight we have two worthy contenders fighting for the one spot

Tyson Fury, left, and Oleksandr Usyk will finally clash in Saudi Arabia months of negotiations (Getty)

If you think that nine different belts, $100m and bragging rights are the only prizes in Saturday night’s undisputed fight in Saudi Arabia, then you would be wrong.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are competing in the first undisputed heavyweight championship fight since late 1999, and they are fighting for the right to walk in the giant footsteps of sport’s greatest and best-known champions. The heavyweight champion, an undisputed version, is a serious contender for sport’s finest champion.

The heavyweight championship of the world was once known as the richest prize in sport, the champion was the most recognisable face in the sport and, in the case of Muhammad Ali, often the most recognisable man on the planet.