Tyson Fury has warned the boxing world not to dismiss Oleskandr Usyk as a force if he gets his hands raised in victory on May 18.
“The Gypsy King” was speaking at a specially arranged press conference to discuss his undisputed clash next month. Fury was in fine form, looked leaner than usual, and was his usual profanity-laden self.
With just over a month to go until fight night in Saudi Arabia, Fury was keen to remind the media who degraded Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder after his famous triumphs. Fury put Klitschko to the sword in Germany nine years ago before stopping Wilder in the 2020 and 2021 installments of their trilogy saga. He claims Klitschko was branded over the hill and Wilder never good enough after he’d beaten them up and taken their world titles.
Fury reeled off Usyk’s achievements before making it clear one loss doesn’t make anyone a bad fighter.
“He’s unified heavyweight champion, undisputed cruiserweight champion. Anyone would have to respect the man’s achievements,” pointed out Fury at the press gathering. “Everybody I ever beat before, even long-reigning champions like Wladimir Klitschko, after I beat him everyone said ‘he’s a piece of s***, him.’
“Klitschko, [Deontay] Wilder, all of these guys I ever beat were s*** after I beat them. So please don’t say that Oleksandr Usyk is s*** after I beat him because he’s not,” he urged.
Usyk took the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts from Anthony Joshua before cementing his place as the top heavyweight on the planet by retaining those titles against the Londoner.
In contrast, Fury has beaten Derek Chisora, Dillian Whyte, and Francis Ngannou since defeating Wilder and has subsequently tumbled down the Pound for Pound Rankings.
Despite dominating Chisora and Whyte, it’s Fury’s performance against Ngannou that sticks in the memory. The 35-year-old was clearly out of shape and underprepared as Ngannou dropped him to the canvas and gave him a rough ride for ten rounds.
That split decision win was already ridiculed before being compounded by Joshua, who took Ngannou out in two painful rounds.
Fury was expected to go into the Usyk fight just four months on from the Ngannou encounter. However, a cut halted the fight for three months and gave Fury all the time he needed to be in the best shape of his life.
That extra time was clearly visible as Fury reiterated his desire to inflict a first loss on Usyk in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“At first, I was a little bit depressed [when the fight was delayed] for the first day or so,” Fury said. “But afterward, like all things in life, I realized God’s timing is impeccable, perfect. It’s not late, it’s not early, it’s bang on time.
“It wasn’t my time to fight for the [undisputed] championship then, but it is going to be my time on May 18.”
Usyk also looked in incredible shape when posting a video on social media of his ongoing camp. Fans can expect the best versions of the two best heavyweights in the sport for what could be the most exciting top-division event since Fury vs Wilder III.
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