"I need him in the ring on December 23" - Oleksandr Usyk taunts Tyson Fury after arriving in Saudi Arabia for boxing showdown

Tyson Fury will take on Francis Ngannou in a heavyweight boxing match tomorrow in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite Fury being the reigning WBC heavyweight champion, his title will not be up for grabs. Instead, both men will compete for the WBC Commemorative Riyadh Championship.

However, the matchup has been slightly overshadowed by the announcement of Tyson Fury's long-awaited bout with Oleksandr Usyk, whom 'The Gypsy King' is expected to face either in late December or early January. That, however, all depends on how much damage Fury sustains against Ngannou.

This was highlighted by Oleksandr Usyk, who had just arrived in Saudi Arabia to attend his rival's bout with Ngannou. On a recent Instagram post, Usyk said as much, jokingly imploring the Cameroonian knockout artist to be careful with Tyson Fury, as he intends to face him on December 23 at the earliest:

"Francis, be careful with Tyson, I need him in the ring on December 23."

The logic behind booking a boxing match with Usky so soon after a bout with Ngannou is that Fury expects to emerge unscathed against the former UFC heavyweight champion. However, some have warned him against what can be perceived as a reckless move.

Regardless, 'The Gypsy King' is a massive favorite heading into tomorrow's bout, and few are giving Francis Ngannou much chance besides a flash knockout. However, his odds of winning due to a puncher's chance are low, as Fury previously survived wars with the equally powerful Deontay Wilder.

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Tyson Fury's first fight with Deontay Wilder

Tyson Fury is well-known for being an undefeated boxer. That is part of the appeal behind his matchup with Oleksandr Usyk, an unbeaten heavyweight. However, not every fight on Fury's record is a win. He took part in a famous heavyweight trilogy with Deontay Wilder.

Their first bout, however, was ruled a draw. Fury spent the majority of the fight outboxing Wilder. However, he suffered two knockdowns throughout the bout, with the second occurring in round 12, with many at the time believing the fight was over. However, Fury survived and got back to his feet.

At that point, Wilder was exhausted, and Fury finished the round strong. The bout was controversially scored a draw, as many felt 'The Gypsy King' had done enough to win.