Usyk-Chisora to be held in different country possibly with fans?

A Friday report in England says that the postponed heavyweight contender showdown between former Undisputed Cruiserweight Champ, Oleksandr Usyk and Britain’s Dereck Chisora will wait until at least August before it’s held. And, the fight maybe moving out of England altogether.

Sky Sports reported on Friday that the Usyk – Chisora 12 round non-title battle, which was originally scheduled for next weekend at London’s O2 Arena, is now being evaluated as a fight potentially in another country. And, that would be in part to have some fans in attendance:

"We are looking at alternative options"

Latest on @Usykaa vs @DerekWarChisora date and location

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) May 15, 2020

Sky quoted promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, as saying about the postponed fight,

“I spoke to Alexander Krassyuk of K2 Promotions [Usyk’s representatives] and we are looking at alternative options for that venue.

“In time you will see crowds return but at what level? One thousand? Ten-thousand? Eighty-thousand?

Hearn continued, “there are options to stage things with a slightly smaller crowd but in a unique environment that we’re looking at [in the UK]. That’s outside of our initial return.

“There are a number of countries right now saying: ‘We want to bring major sport back and show the world that we’re open to business’.

“That might apply to a fight like Usyk vs Chisora.” 

Hearn and Matchroom have already made it clear that the other heavyweight contender battle of note to be rescheduled between England’s Dillian Whyte and Russia’s Alexander Povetkin will be happening, probably in July in Manchester England, and without fans.

Usyk, 17-0, 13 KOs, won his first heavyweight bout last October against 38-year-old last-second replacement, Chazz Witherspoon in Chicago by 7th round TKO.

The 36 year old Chisora is 32-9 and hasn’t won a really significant fight, since Whyte knocked him out in December of 2018. And, that was the second time Whyte had beaten Chisora in their careers. His last action was also last October of last year, when “War” Chisora kayoed fellow Englishman David Price in the 4th round of their bout.

It’s entirely possible that Hearn could move Usyk-Chisora to Saudi Arabia, where last December’s Unified Heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz was held. Joshua avenged his only pro loss with a 12-round decision to recapture his titles.

Joshua is also waiting to rescheduling of his bout with IBF number one contender Kubrat Pulev, which was postponed from it’s June date at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s 65,000 seat venue in North London.

And, Hearn has made clear that they will wait even until later in the Fall for that fight to potentially happen with fans and possibly, still in England.