Oleksandr Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk insists he won't believe the Ukrainian's world title fight with Tyson Fury is definitely happening until he 'hears the bell for the first round'... as he reveals the reason behind the date of the showdown

Oleksandr Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk has insisted he is still sceptical about whether the Ukrainian's undisputed world heavyweight title fight against Tyson Fury will go ahead, despite the date of the showdown finally being confirmed.

Usyk and Fury had originally agreed terms to fight on December 23 in Riyadh, with the Gypsy King claiming he would sue the Ukrainian if their bout was held up further. 

However, after his close contest with Francis Ngannou, which Fury won via split decision, his promoter Frank Warren confirmed the clash with Usyk would instead take place early next year.

And on Thursday, details over the proposed bout were announced after more than a year of talks, with the blockbuster contest set to take place in Saudi Arabia on February 17. 

But, despite his happiness at an agreement finally being reached, Krassyuk wasn't counting his chickens just yet.

'First thing, I was delighted to see Tyson Fury here so he turned up and the fight is happening,' he exclusively told Mail Sport's Charlotte Daly ahead of the Usyk-Fury press conference on Thursday. 'That's amazing. At least we are one step closer to the fight.

'(But) No (I'm not confident it will definitely now take place) at all.  My confidence will grow higher when I hear the bell for the first round.

'At that the time I will start believing it is happening but before that... I've been in boxing for too long.'

Krassyuk continued: 'I have expectations and hopes but in reality I have to stay very critical.

'We call Tyson a random-thought generator so him (threatening to) sue us was one of these random thoughts. 

'We have been chasing this fight for more than two years. Usyk's objective is to become undisputed and we need Tyson because he is the WBC champion.'

'We have witnessed so many fights being cancelled at late notice so I really hope it happens and let's stay positive and pray.'

Krassyuk also went onto explain why they ended up choosing February 17 for the most-eagerly anticipated bout of the year to take place. 

'We had two dates - February 17 and February 24. Regarding the 24th, the invasion to Ukraine started two years ago. 

'So that's why this date was crucially negative and we could not accept it.

'The 17th is a good date and 17 is a good number. The number always appears on Usyk's outfit and it's the day of his birth and that of Muhammad Ali, so it's a good date.

'The belts are going to travel back to Ukraine, home.'