The heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will NOT be covered on radio after the BBC failed to secure a UK rights deal.
- Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk set for blockbuster showdown on Saturday
- The two stars will face off for the undisputed heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia
- UK viewers will have the choice of four broadcasters for the flagship event
Radio listeners will not be able to absorb the live action of this weekend’s heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk after the BBC failed to reach a deal for the fight.
The fighters are set to face off on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the winner crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
The scale of the fight allowed, for the first time, four broadcasters to obtain the rights to broadcast the show in the United Kingdom.
However, according to the Times, the airwaves will remain silent once a deal cannot be reached.
The report said the BBC sent a team to the Gulf state this week in the hope of securing a deal for the showpiece. However, an agreement was not reached on Wednesday.
Anticipation builds for huge heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury (pictured) and Oleksandr Usyk
British viewers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to watching the fight between Usyk (pictured) and Fury, but there will be no radio alternative.
Additionally, they report that Saudi promoters have chosen not to sell radio rights to the UK because they believe it would decrease the number of pay-per-view sales.
UK viewers have the choice of DAZN PPV, Sky Sports Box Office or TNT Sports Box Office – all for a fee of £24.95 – for the fight.
Fury and Usyk will step into the ring at Kingdom Arena for the first time on Saturday, May 18.
The two men will face off over 12 rounds in a winner-take-all fight which is scheduled to begin at 11pm UK time – 1am Saudi Arabia time on Sunday May 19.
The official start time for the event has not yet been released, but looking at previous events in Saudi Arabia, the main card could start as early as 4:00 p.m. UK / 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT.
