Tyson Fury will face Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight titles on May 18 in Saudi Arabia, after the bout was rescheduled.

Organizers had previously scheduled the heavyweight contest for 17 February, 2025.

However, a serious sparring injury on Friday forced Fury to withdraw from the contest.

When it finally happens, Fury versus Usyk will be the heavyweight division's first undisputed title fight in the four-belt era.

Fury, the WBC champion will now face Usyk, the IBF, WBO and WBA champion.

Speaking on the MMA Hour, external, Fury took aim at Usyk's manager Egis Klimas who questioned the legitimacy of his injury.

"Egis, never call me a coward again," he said. "[I have] never backed down from any man in my life."

There has not been an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Fury's cut above his right eye required "urgent medical attention" and "significant stitching". It is the third time since 2023 a fight date between Usyk and Fury has been rescheduled.

Event organiser Turki Alalashikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's general entertainment authority, said if either Usyk or Fury withdrew from the new date they would forfeit £9.3m to the other fighter.

It has also been announced that Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev will fight on 1 June in a light-heavyweight undisputed fight between two undefeated champions.

Bivol holds the WBA (Super) title while Beterbiev has the WBO, IBF and WBC belts.

The Russians will headline Matchroom's five-versus-five card against Queensberry Promotions where five of Eddie Hearn's best fighters will fight five of Frank Warren's best.

It continues Saudi Arabia's massive spending in the sport of boxing with Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou the next major event set to take place in the kingdom on 9 March.

Saudi Arabia has become a global hub for boxing but has provoked scrutiny due to the country's poor human rights record - 81 men were executed on one day in 2022 - women's rights abuses, the criminalisation of homosexuality, the restriction of free speech and the war in Yemen.