Ring of Fire: Boxing’s Ultimate Showdown for Four World Titles Will Take Place in Riyadh

The much awaited heavyweight boxing bout between British champion Tyson Fury and Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk will take place on Saturday in Riyadh’s “Kingdom Arena.”

Four belts will be on the line in this fight: the heavyweight titles of the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF), and World Boxing Organisation (WBO). In the boxing world, these belts are very important because they represent the accomplishments of boxing superstars like Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali Clay.

According to a news release, the four belts—among which is the World Boxing Council (WBC) belt—feature pictures of boxing icons like Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali Clay, each of whom has a distinct backstory that highlights the significance of the victories. Either Fury or Usyk, one of the boxers, wants to be listed in history books next to these famous people from around the world. This battle represents the height of contemporary boxing competition as it is the first time all four belts will be united in one contest. It harks back to the esteemed tradition of the greats who have influenced championship titles throughout the history of the sport.

The World Boxing Council (WBC) was founded in 1963, and Muhammad Ali Clay—who is regarded as one of the most iconic characters in boxing history—was among its most well-known champions, having won the championship three times in his remarkable career. Larry Holmes ruled the heavyweight category for seven years at various points in his career, culminating in the IBF’s founding in 1983. The WBO is the most recent title, having been created in 1988, yet it has been held by a number of well-known winners, notably Herbie Hide and Chris Byrd.

But out of the four titles Fury and Usyk will be vying for on Saturday, the WBA title is the oldest—having been around for more than a century. Joe Louis, who was the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 and is regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time, held the title for twelve years.