Ex-world champion Shawn Porter doesn’t see the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undisputed battle happening on February 17 as planned.
Speaking alongside Chris Algieri and Paulie Malignaggi on the Deep Waters podcast, Porter believes Fury will pull out as is his mentality.
“Showtime” says Fury will have serious doubts about his ability to beat the formidable Ukrainian and sees a run with WWE taking place to cancel the headliner.
Tyson Fury vs Usyk
“Don’t be surprised if something comes up with the WWE before this,” Porter said. “I think that there’s a lot of pluses for Tyson Fury, but I just don’t see him being able to look at those pluses and feel like ‘hey, I’m going to win that fight, I’m going to beat him.'”
He added: “We know that Tyson Fury is a showman. What we know about Tyson Fury is he likes things to be his way or no way.
“Me personally, I don’t feel like this is the kind of energy he [Fury] wants to exert anymore in the boxing ring, which is why he went after Francis Ngannou. Those are the kind of fights he’s looking for.
“The things that will give him the money and the recognition. The nights that he won’t have to trade hard for.”
However, if Fury sticks to his word and fights Usyk next month, Porter sees “The Gypsy King” coming out on top.
“If he does get in the ring with him, I expect him to win that fight and sail off into the sunset. I think that will be his last one if he has that fight.”
Algieri disagreed with Porter on the cancelation talk but thought a postponement might be more fathomable.
“I think the fight’s going to happen. I’m not sure it will happen [in February] because, as Shawn says, Fury likes to be the captain of his own ship.
“He thinks the whole world revolves around whatever the hell he says, and for a time, it definitely did. I’m not sure it will happen when it’s supposed to, but I think it will happen at some point.”
Fight will happen
Concluding with his view, Malignaggi stated: “This fight’s going to happen February 17. That’s it. This fight’s going to happen.
“Fury has been quiet because he goes into his spaced-out zone when he goes into full focus mode. That’s when you know he’s preparing very well.”
