22 February 2024 , 09:05
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Tyson Fury has been told a puncher's chance is all he is against Oleksandr Usyk in their undisputed clash.
Heavyweight champion Fury was scheduled to fight Usyk last weekend in Saudi Arabia but was forced out of the fight after being cut over his eye in sparring. Their fight has now been rescheduled for May 18 but there are concerns that Fury will need longer to recover from his injury.
Former world champion Tony Bellew, who was knocked out by Usyk in his final fight, has explained why he thinks Fury only stands a slim chance of beating the Ukrainian. “I don’t think anybody beats Oleksandr Usyk. I don’t think anybody beats him. I said it many many moons ago. I think now [Fury] has a puncher’s chance but he isn’t a big puncher to be honest,” Bellew told Matchroom Boxing.
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"The craziest part about it is I think when Fury was with his uncle I do think he beat him but his style changed and now he’s an aggressive counter puncher and that isn’t going to work against Usyk. I think he’s a brilliant fighter, take nothing away from him, what he’s done for the heavyweight division is amazing but I think Oleksandr Usyk is the best heavyweight in the world.”
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Fury has previously hit out at Bellew for being an 'Anthony Joshua fanboy' after the Scouser said 'AJ' would deserve a 50/50 split for a potential domestic clash against Fury. Rumours were circulating about Fury being 'turned over' in sparring before he pulled out of the undisputed fight, but he laughed off these reports and showed off the great shape he was in by posing in the mirror.
“It boggles belief, we were looking at some of it laughing our heads off. These conspiracy theories, it was actually very funny. Old Johnny Nelson, he’s got a ‘mole’ in our camp. We’ve been digging holes everywhere because there’s a mole here somewhere," Fury's manager Spencer Brown told iFL TV about the rumours.
Saudi royal advisor Turki Alalsheikh has promised to fine Fury or Usyk £10million of their own money if they pull out of the May 18 date. Fury also shut down fans calling for him to retire by issuing a five-fight wishlist that included two fights with Anthony Joshua and a rematch against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.