The postponement of the undisputed heavyweight world title showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was a bitter pill for fight fans to swallow, though all eyes are now on the rescheduled date of May 18th.
After a drawn out negotiation process littered with name calling and accusations of ducking, the relationship between Fury and Usyk has never been particularly friendly, and that ill feeling will only have increased after last week’s news.
‘The Gypsy King”s pre fight mind games are as revered as his skills in the ring – however a former opponent of Usyk’s has warned him he will be wasting his time should he try too hard to get inside the Ukranian’s head.
Tony Bellew locked horns with the then undisputed cruiserweight champion back in 2018, succumbing to defeat at the 02 Arena via knockout in round eight.
And speaking to Talksport, Bellew implored Fury to forget about trying to rattle his former foe’s cage over the next few months.
Photo Credit: Kevin Quigley, Daily Mail
“You’re not getting inside his head to be honest,
“I believe, without blowing my own trumpet, that I’m very, very good at that. I’m absolutely fantastic at winding people up.
“But I didn’t think Usyk spoke great English and then he came into the dressing room after beating me up and then spoke perfect English to me, he done me good and proper.
“I can easily take 3 Tyson Furys” 🔥
Oleksandr Usyk is confident his rescheduled heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury will go ahead on May 18 🤝pic.twitter.com/1KZsTNCsme
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) February 6, 2024
“But listen, I’m his biggest fan. I’m his biggest fan, he understands really good English, he just doesn’t speak it well.
“It doesn’t matter though, his mindset is on another level to anyone’s I’ve seen.
“Tyson’s not going to get to him, he really isn’t and if anything it’ll get to Tyson the fact that he’s not getting to him.”
Social media has been rife with conspiracy theories that Fury intentionally cut his own eye to get out of the fight, however the immediate agreement of a new date laid rest to these.
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Questions around how much the WBC world champion has left in the tank are still very much unanswered, however, and will remain so until the world casts it’s gaze in the direction of Riyadh this spring.
