Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk‘s undisputed heavyweight fight later this month has been immortalised in a bespoke handmade timepiece.
The Gypsy King meets the Ukrainian in Riyadh on May 18, following the postponement of their initial February date.
The clash could see one of the fighters crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
And to mark the momentous occasion, watch makers Jacob & Co. – in collaboration with design studio Big Time Creative Shop, which is owned by General Entertainment Authority, a government department responsible for bringing global events to the Gulf State – has handed each fighter their their own unique timepiece.
In addition, a third watch will be auctioned by Sotheby’s to raise money for Make-A-Wish International, an international children’s charity that grants wishes to kids living with a critical illness.
Watch makers Jacob & Co. have crafted bespoke timepieces to mark the momentous occasion
The handmade watch is made up of several intricate components to celebrate the anticipated fight
The bespoke timepiece contains figurines of each of the boxers as well as red and blue gloves
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will go head to head on May 18 in Riyadh after Fury’s eye injury delayed the initial February date
‘We’re very excited to see Fury and Usyk get into it,’ Jacob & Co. chairman and founder Jacob Arabo told Watch Pro.
‘At Jacob & Co., we have a long history of making bespoke timepieces with and for fighters. It’s a privilege for us to make this limited edition Astronomia Art Ring of Fire. Especially because proceeds from one of the timepieces will go to one of the most respectable charities. This fight is one for the ages.’
The ‘Ring of Fire’ watches have been designed in tribute to the boxers, with each including figurines of the pair as well as red and blue boxing gloves.
As anticipation builds for the dual, Fury and his family arrived in Saudi Arabia this week. After a seven-hour flight from the UK, The Gypsy King and his entourage were welcomed with bouquets of flowers and hot drinks.
The initial clash with Usyk had been scheduled to take place in Riyadh on February 17, but was postponed after Fury sustained an injury during camp.
He suffered a severe cut above his right eye while sparring, which has been labelled by his promotion team as a ‘freak cut’.
Fighters have promised to forfeit $10m (£8m) if they pulled out of the fight.
Last month, Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk has revealed fears Tyson Fury will withdraw from next month’s undisputed world heavyweight title fight.
Krassyuk told Boxing Scene he still has doubts that Fury will step into the ring with Usyk next month, claiming the Gypsy King has already withdrawn four times from the fight.
‘Usyk has actually had a triple camp for this fight,’ Krassyuk said. ‘He started in September for the fight to take place last December.
‘We showed up to the Ngannou fight to step in the ring to announce the fight for the undisputed, but his team jumped and said he didn’t look that good, so Usyk gave him some space to prepare at his camp in Saudi Arabia.
Tyson Fury and his family were met with a warm welcome as they arrived in Saudi Arabia
‘We were then meant to fight on Feb. 17, then we were rescheduled for May. Tyson Fury has withdrawn four times already from this fight.
‘I’ve not got too much confidence in the rematch happening, by the way. If Tyson Fury loses, will he have the confidence to step inside the ring again? Theoretically he can, but we all know what happened in the rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.’
Fury looked laser-focused in training footage from last week, as he stepped up preparations for the undisputed heavyweight showdown.
