Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk needed to be separated by safety after the "Gypsy King" vowed to knock the Ukrainian out once they conflict with the undisputed heavyweight title on the road in Saudi Arabia in February. The fighters got here head to head on Thursday to announce their long-awaited showdown within the Middle East, with Fury telling Usyk he can be "smashed to pieces".

WBC champion Fury (34-0-1) will face three-belt champion Usyk (21-0) in Riyadh on February 17, with the struggle lastly agreed after negotiations for a 2022 showdown broke down. But a money-spinning deal has been accomplished with the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and Fury was brimming with confidence at Thursday's launch press convention in London.

He mentioned: "I already relieved one Ukrainian (Wladimir Klitschko) of all the belts, and I'm going to relieve that idiot of the belts I gave him. I'm going to bust him, sausage, ugly little man, rabbit. You know what's coming, you're getting smashed to pieces, sausage. You're fighting the best British heavyweight there has ever been, the f****** Dauntless in these waters. You beat the rest of them, but you ain't beating Tyson Fury.

"You are getting knocked out, mother-f*****. You cannot beat me, you'll be able to by no means beat me. When you sleep at evening, ugly man, you are going to consider me for the subsequent eight weeks. Think of me as a result of I'm going to punch your face in."

Fury then took a extra critical tone. He mentioned: "This is an important one. We are each undefeated, I'm a champion and he is a champion, it will be a struggle for the ages. I'm destined to develop into the undisputed champion and I'm destined to cement my legacy because the number-one fighter of its period. To do this, I've obtained to beat this man. Easier mentioned than accomplished, he is a difficult man, slick, boxer. But I've seen many individuals like him earlier than and once they struggle the large males, they battle and he will battle on February 17. He will lose and I'll break him, for certain."

Unlike his opponent, Usyk kept the talking to a minimum. He likened the matchup to the bible passage of David vs Goliath, adding: "When the lord offers me Tyson in my palms, I'll do my job."

Fury comes into the fight off the back of a controversial victory in a crossover bout with MMA superstar Francis Ngannou. Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou, who had never competed in a sanctioned boxing contest, put Fury on the canvas and many viewers believed the Cameroonian deserved to get the nod on the judges' scorecards, but the "Gypsy King" won via split decision.

The wear and tear Fury incurred in the fight, including a cut above the eye, forced a delay to the showdown with Usyk. The fight was pencilled in for December 23, but it has been booked for February instead to ensure both fighters are in prime shape.

The fight continues a huge push from Saudi Arabia to become the home of boxing's biggest events. After hosting Fury vs Ngannou, the Kingdom will host "Day of Reckoning" on December 23, with former two-time heavyweight king Anthony Joshua facing Sweden's Otto Wallin and big-punching American Deontay Wilder taking on New Zealand's Joseph Parker.

Usyk holds the WBA, WBO and IBF straps after winning successive fights over Joshua, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of his generation after winning the undisputed cruiserweight title and an Olympic gold medal. But it is Fury who has opened up as the early favourite with the bookmakers, despite a lacklustre showing against Ngannou in Riyadh last month.

"It does not get any higher than this, two nice fighters who're undefeated," Fury's promoter Frank Warren said. "You are going to see a powerful struggle, will probably be magnificent as a result of they're magnificent boxers. The types will make it an awesome struggle and I'm certain all people world wide goes to tune in to see historical past made. For the primary time this century, we may have a unified champion."

Usyk's manager Alex Krasssyuk added: "We have been chasing this struggle for thus lengthy and eventually it is occurring and I can hardly consider (it). Let the most effective man win and let the belts come again dwelling to Ukraine."