Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk's fight 'could happen as early as December', claims Gypsy King's promoter Bob Arum – who insists the bout 'will happen sooner rather than later'

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury could meet in an undisputed heavyweight championship before the end of the year, or in 2024, according to Bob Arum.

Arum, the head of Top Rank, is promoting WBC champion Fury’s upcoming fight against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on October 28. 

But the 91-year-old boxing promoter believes that it is going to be pretty straightforward to get Fury to face up to the Ukrainian Usyk – who is the IBF, WBA and WBO champion – in the ring. 

Arum told Sky Sports: ‘It won’t be hard to make. I know the Usyk people, they’re nice people. His manager, his promoter, they’re terrific people.

‘Usyk himself is a terrific guy. I think he wants that fight. I think that fight’s going to happen and hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later.’

Tyson Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum expects the WBC champion to fight Oleksandr Usyk soon

Fury previously had no interest in a unified title bid fighting the Ukrainian (pictured), as he prepares to face Francis Ngannou

Usyk retained his world heavyweight titles in August by stopping Daniel Dubois in Poland

When pressed for a date, he responded: ‘Probably be early next year, but it could happen as early as December.’

The boxing promoter added: ‘I would like to see him (Fury) fight Usyk. I think once he fights Usyk, and assuming he beats Usyk, then I think he’ll do a victory lap, maybe two more fights, and let the younger guys take over.’ 

It contradicts a previous claim that Fury has no interest in fighting Usyk, and Fury’s suggestion that he will continue to fight other names from the world of MMA, like Jon Jones, once the fight against Ngannou has been completed. 

Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland, last month to retain his world heavyweight titles – but there will still be demand to see him try to seize Fury’s WBC crown too.