Author: quyen1

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face off on May 18 in the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship.

The fight is seen as a 50-50 bout, with both boxers coming in with mixed performances. Fury laboured past Francis Ngannou, winning a split decision after getting off the canvas. There were suggestions that Fury’s legs had slowed down or that he overlooked the former UFC Heavyweight Champion who was making his boxing debut.

Usyk is coming off a win over Daniel Dubois. The Ukrainian was dropped with a body shot in the fifth round, only to be deemed a low blow. The decision divided the boxing community, with some suggesting that Dubois had been deprived of becoming the Unified Heavyweight Champion. The rest was history, as Usyk stopped Dubois in round nine. Here are the key battles that will come up in the fight between Fury and Usyk.

Jab

Fury does have a constant jab, allowing him to dictate range and set up his shots. However, landing on Usyk takes work. The Ukrainian is elusive with his lateral movement, while he can counter the jab out of the southpaw jab. He did this against Joshau, who had no answer even when Usyk stood in center ring. However, Usyk’s jab is simply used as a range finder to set up the left land. But if Fury switches to southpaw, that makes the jab more pivotal.

Power

Fury has the power advantage since Uysk is coming up from cruiserweight. The Ukrainian has only stopped two people in his last five fights. Usyk failed to stop Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua, showing he struggles against heavier boxers. Fury has become a power puncher of late, stopping Deontay Wilder in two fights and Dillian Whyte, showing he is not afraid of power to walk people down. The Gypsy King may not be a KO artist, but Usyk must respect his power.

Hook

Fury’s left hook will be critical to slowing down Usyk. If Fury closes the distance and fights on the inside, he can attack the body. He can also keep Usyk on the outside, landing that sweeping left hook without the risk of getting countered. Usyk’s right hook is not a standalone punch but a weapon used to set up other shots, which gives Fury the edge with this shot.

Straight Cross

Usyk can change angles at will, and his straight left is very accurate. He can also throw his left hand in a lopping fashion, as he did against Tony Bellew. Once Bellew wasa avoiding the straight left, Usyk changed it to a looping left hand, which was critical to stopping him. Fury’s right hand can be thrown down the pipe, although he does not have as much variation with it when compared to Usyk.

Uppercut

Fury has a dangerous uppercut and is very good at disguising it. This was shown during his knockout of Dillian Whyte. Fury landed the uppercut and pushed Whyte down as the Brit was stopped. Uysk does not have that weapon as much, rarely throwing it, which is understandable since he is not a power puncher. Usyk also risks leaving himself open in a throwing a shot that is unlikely to secure him a knockout.

Speed

Usyk is the quicker fighter, with his footwork dubbed the best in the division. The Ukrainian uses his lateral movement to create angles, get his shots off and move out of range. The Ukrainian also has good hand speed, as shown in the Joshua fight. He stayed in the pocket and countered Joshua’s jab without being hit. Since Joshua is a bigger puncher, he will fancy his chances against Fury.

Combinations

Both boxers are not big combination punchers like Anthony Joshua. But if you had to pick one, Usyk puts his shots together much better. The Ukrainian uses the left hand to open up his opponents, quickly followed by combinations, before moving out of range. Usyk showed his in the first Joshua fight, almost stopping him in the final round. But if Fury does land a combination, he is more likely to stop his opponent.

Defense

Uysk has shown he is vulnerable to the body. During the Joshua 2 fight, AJ had his best round in the second fight of the half, hurting the Ukrainian with a body shot. Dubois also dropped Usyk to the body, even if the punch was a low blow. Fury has shown he can be hit, getting dropped by Ngannou in his last fight. The Gypsy King also cut his right eye in sparring, as the fight was rescheduled for May 18. If Usyk targets that eye and it reopens, he will be a heavy favorite. Fury knows he cannot leave himself open, making this an intriguing encounter.

Predictions

“I want to attend this battle. You’ve probably heard this more than once, but I think Usyk is a phenomenal fighter, and he has a great team around him. You’re only as good as your team, and Usyk has a really great team. Having been in the ring with him and studied him, I believe he will win,” Joshua

“This is no disrespect, everyone has a beast inside and he reminds me of a little rabbit because he moves very well and no one can catch him. Then I look at Tyson Fury – he looks like a giraffe. I see them as two animals fighting each other, but who will win? Will it be a rabbit or a giraffe?” Lennox Lewis

“You don’t know which Usyk you’ll face in the ring. He is a capable, strong-willed man, and when he is in the ring, he knows that this is his finest hour. And he is one of the few fighters in the world who can rise to this level. He has such a psychology. Not everyone can do this. Oleksandr Usyk is a special guy, he is unpredictable and difficult to fight. A lot will be against you when you box Oleksandr Usyk. That’s why I believe he will win this battle. He will win either by unanimous decision or split decision over Tyson Fury. And he will become the absolute world champion,” James Ali Bashir

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Fans have expressed worry over Tyson Fury’s latest physique as the boxer appears to have put on weight.

Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. The winner becomes boxing’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 when he defeated Evander Holyfield. Both boxers have had their training camps disrupted. They were meant to box on December 23 last year. Fury said he would not be ready after getting past a tough Francis Ngannou fight. The rescheduled date was for February 17.

Once again, Fury withdrew after sustaining a cut over his right eye in sparring. Now, both boxers must pay a $10 million fine if they pull out. It is understandable, then, that the two fighters will have to avoid overtraining. Fury was looking a lot learner compared to the Ngannou fight after suggestions he did not train properly for the former UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Although Fury denied those claims, the loss of weight post-Ngannou suggested otherwise. However, his latest training footage shows Fury has put on weight. In the clip, Fury can be seen shadowboxing. It may give an insight into Fury’s tactics. The Gypsy King could either be playing mind games or showing fans that he will use his weight on Usyk to overpower the Ukrainian. Fury is on record saying he will overpower the middleweight. The WBC Heavyweight Champion felt that his size would be too much for Usyk, who did come up from cruiserweight.

Fury’s Physique

“When the cruiserweights step up to the big boys, usually they get found wanting… you can beat the average big ones but you can’t beat the elite big ones because size really matters. We have weight divisions for a reason and he’s going to be found wanting when he fights me on May 18. If Tyson Fury can’t beat Usyk, Tyson’s no good, end of. I’m not going to pull any punches, it is what it is. This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation. Fact,” Fury said 

However, Fury’s resume shows that he does not do well against smaller boxers. His toughest test was against Steve Cunningham, who was a cruiserweight. Cunningham dropped Fury to the canvas with a big overhand right. Although Fury did manage to get up and walk down his opponent before stopping him, it could be a sign of something to watch out for in the Usyk fight. Cunningham has backed Usyk to come out on top, saying he was too skilful for Fury.

“I think Usyk can beat Fury for two specific reasons. The first is Usyk’s ability, his skill-set, it’s unmatched. He’s got quirky movements; he’s awkward. He thinks different in there, he takes angles. He’s the highest level of boxing that we see right now. He can land shots on Fury that can cause considerable frustration for Fury. The second reason is his team, his management. He’s managed by Egis [Klimas]. They’re powerhouses in Europe and around the world. Egis has a solid foundational career with moving fighters and protecting them,” Cunningham stated 

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Alexander Krassyuk has told Tyson Fury not to pull out of his Undisputed Heavyweight Bout with Oleksandr Usyk.

The fight takes place on May 18 after numerous postponements. The fight was initially meant for December 23 last year. However, Fury could not make the date after suffering in a tough bout against Francis Ngannou. The WBC Heavyweight Champion suffered cuts and bruises as he was dropped in the third round. While he got the split decision win, there were suggestions Fury’s legs were gone.

The Gypsy King withdrew again from the rescheduled February 17 date. This time, Fury suffered a cut over his right eye in sparring. It required 11 stitches, pushing the fight back until May. Turki Alalshikh has said that either fighter will have to pay a $10 million fine now if they withdraw again. There is a narrative that Fury was ducking Usyk, which is why Krassyuk has urged Fury to go through with the fight.

Krassyuk On Fury

“I do hope that Tyson will wear his helmet, his protective gear this time and not injure his eyebrow or whatever he could injure, and that this time the fight on May 18 will go the way it should have gone in December and then in February. It’s the fight of a lifetime. The whole world is waiting for it. Let’s pray for Tyson and expect that the guy enters the ring,” Krassyuk said

Krassyuk further states that Usyk’s dedication to the sport will see him emerge victorious. Fury has struggled outside of camps to stay motivated and in shape. After the Wladimir Klitschko win, Fury ballooned up as he suffered from mental health issues. That was followed by drinking and drug abuse, which have impacted his body.

Fury has also been through three fights with Deontay Wilder, getting off the canvas numerous times. Usyk, however, is known for staying in shape outside of fights. His key strength is how he increases the pace in the championship rounds. This was seen in the first Anthony Joshua fight. Usyk piled on the pressure, nearly stopping Joshua in the last round. Krassyuk backed his man to come out on top.

Krassyuk On Usyk

“I can tell you about the secret weapon of Usyk’s, the only problem is it’s not a secret. His weapon is his mind, his heart, his experience and boxing skills. And the main thing about him that is different from Tyson Fury is his discipline. That is what makes him great and it is his toughest weapon,” Krassyuk added

The winner becomes the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield to win all the belts. Usyk has already become undisputed at cruiserweight. A win makes him undisputed in a second weight class, joining Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue in the four-belt era. Fury has won every belt at heavyweight. However, he has failed to become undisputed. Both boxers are undefeated, as someone’s 0 has got to go.

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Frank Warren has said Tyson Fury is in prime physical condition to face Oleksandr Usyk.

The two fighters face off for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship on May 18. The fight has been delayed twice, with Fury pulling out of the December 23 and February 17 dates. Fury withdrew last December following the Francis Ngannou fight, during which he was dropped in the third round.

The Gypsy King pulled out for the February date after sustaining a big cut over their right eye. While there are worries over Fury’s cut reopening, it has had some benefits. Fury has had more time in camp to lose weight and sharpen his skills. Following the Ngannou fight, there were worries that his legs may have slowed down. But Warren expects his fighter to be on the top of his game.

Warren On Fury

“I’m confident we are going to get a vintage performance, I spoke to him during the week. He’s in a very good shape I think, and although he had that cut it has come good as he has had back-to-back camps. Physically I have never seen him look so well. The worry was going straight into a training camp was that he’d peak too soon. He has worked really hard so that he is in his best nick on May 18. I just feel he is going to put on a magnificent performance and stop Usyk,” Warren said

Nevertheless, Fury is facing a fighter who is known for keeping himself disciplined. Unlike Fury, Usyk does not balloon up in weight between camps. Fury has managed to keep winning despite those faults. But facing an undefeated Usyk may be the difference. The Ukrainian has accustomed himself to the heavyweight division.

He has boxed Anthony Joshua twice, surviving his power and beating the Brit in consecutive bouts. Fury may seek to overpower Usyk with his size, much like he did to Deontay Wilder. Fury may not be the same fighter who faced Wilder. But the WBC Heavyweight Champion’s nutritionist Greg Marriott was confident about Fury’s condition.

Fury’s Nutritionist

“I do believe that he probably feels like everything’s placed perfectly now. I think for this fight, he just thought ‘I just want to get back to looking great’, and with that comes feeling great too, and being able to do the rounds. He’s happier knowing that he’s already in amazing shape now. He doesn’t have to think about getting weight off anymore. We’ve already done that. I’ve already got him the weight off and to be fair, [the rescheduled fight] is a bit of blessing in disguise,” Marriott stated

There are still question marks over how Fury will enter the fight. He could come in much heavier and lean on Usyk, like he did to Wilder. He could also come in lighter and try to outbox Usyk as he did to Wladimir Klitschko. Fury will have to get his tactics spot on. History has shown that Fury rises to the occasion in the biggest fights.

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One of the biggest fights in boxing history is almost here as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk contest the first undisputed heavyweight world title fight of the four-belt era.

On May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Fury will put his WBC and lineal belts on the line against the IBF, WBA, and WBO world champion Usyk.

It’s a bout that’s been twice postponed, first from December 23 to February 17 following Fury’s tougher-than-expected outing against MMA star Francis Ngannou, and again when the Briton suffered an eye injury in sparring.

However, the wait is almost over and in just a few days, the world will discover who is the greatest heavyweight on the planet.

It’s being billed as a 50-50 contest between the two most technically gifted heavyweights of this generation. So, what does Fury need to do to ensure he will be taking all the belts back to the UK?

Size A Massive Advantage For Fury

It’s one of the oldest sayings in boxing: a good big man always beats a good little man. Fury was keen to emphasize this point during a press conference last month and he proceeded to list numerous examples in heavyweight history of this being the case.

Fury (34-0-1 24 KO) has held a size advantage over all his previous opponents, with only Deontay Wilder measuring up close to the Gypsy King. At 6ft 9in, Fury towers a full six inches over Usyk, while his 85-inch reach is seven inches longer than the Ukrainian’s.

As for weight, Fury typically tips the scales north of 260lbs and could be around 40lbs heavier than Usyk on fight night.

These physical advantages massively work in Fury’s favor, particularly for a fighter as skilled and intelligent as the unbeaten champion.

Fury is a master at judging distance, using his jab to gauge range with which he can use to launch combos and power shots. His distance control is also the foundation for his defense. While anticipating attacks, Fury uses his excellent footwork to get out of range and roll punches.

With such a huge height and reach difference, this will only benefit Fury offensively and defensively. In attack, Fury will know he can fire off his jab all night safe in the knowledge Usyk can’t launch counters without lunging into range. This will give Fury time to anticipate and block or step away to avoid the return fire.

As for his size, Fury has always used it to his advantage. Leaning on opponents has been a staple of the Fury strategy, knowing that it will drain energy from his opponent’s legs.

If Fury deploys his obvious physical strengths, then this will be his fight to lose.

Could Heavyweight Experience Prove The Difference?

One of Fury’s favorite insults to throw at Usyk is to call him “the middleweight” in an obvious attempt to disparage the Ukrainian’s size.

It’s classic Fury trash talk but is also a reminder that Usyk is indeed a natural cruiserweight, and arguably the greatest ever. He is the first fighter to hold all four world titles at 200lbs – belts he successfully defended once, with a brutal knockout of Tony Bellew, before making the step up to heavyweight.

With only five fights at heavyweight, Usyk is a comparative novice to Fury, who has of course fought his entire career in the division.

In the lower divisions, where the weight increases incrementally, that might not make much difference. For instance, someone like Terence Crawford can comfortably win world titles at light-middleweight and again at middleweight as the weight increase is only 7lbs.

But heavyweight is a unique division, and different strengths and strategies are needed compared to other weight classes.

Usyk has adapted perfectly well – as his four world titles can attest – but he has never shared a ring with a heavyweight as good as Fury.

It could be argued that Fury hasn’t faced anyone as good as Usyk, either, but the Gypsy King has fought a wide range of heavyweights – big, small, fast, slow, and everything in between. When the margins are this small, the added experience could make all the difference.

Fury Possesses Greater Power

For all his success, Fury will not be remembered as one of boxing’s great knockout artists. His knockout percentage of just over 70 percent doesn’t even get him close to the top 10 of all time.

Yet, since teaming up with trainer SugarHill Steward at the start of 2020, Fury has displayed far more impressive knockout ability. He became the first fighter to floor and then stop Wilder in their thrilling rematch in February 2020 and repeated the trick in their trilogy fight 20 months later.

Fury followed that up with a one-punch knockout of Dillian Whyte and another stoppage win over veteran Derek Chisora.

There is no question that the WBC champion is carrying more power in his punches since working with Steward, but it’s also about how much more effective he’s been in delivering that power.

He will no doubt be the more powerful, stronger fighter against Usyk (whose KO percentage is even lower at 66.67), and if he is able to land flush on the Ukainian’s head, then it will cause more damage than if Usyk is able to land clean on Fury.

Tyson Fury showed off his ripped physique ahead of his fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who also gave fans a glimpse of his condition.

The Undisputed Heavyweight Championship takes place on May 18. The winner becomes the first undisputed champion since 1999, when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield. The Gypsy King faces major questions over his form. His last fight with Francis Ngannou was much tougher than expected. He was dropped by the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, who was making his debut.

While Fury scraped through with a decision win, there were questions over his form. Fury may have overlooked Ngannou, which is why he was so sluggish. There is also the perception that his legs have slowed down. Fury has also pulled out of the Usyk fight twice, the latest after getting cut over his right eye in sparring. This time around, Fury appears to have left no stone unturned. The following images show the heavyweight showing his abs.

Fury’s Physique

The picture shows Fury is taking the training seriously, which is vital to beat the undefeated Usyk. It also gives fans an insight into Fury’s tactics. He appears lighter than usual, which may signal a departure from his front-foot fighting style. The Gypsy King has become an aggressive fighter since teaming up with SugarHill Steward.

That allowed him to stop Deontay Wilder twice. But in doing so, Fury was dropped several times. Avoiding further punishment will be vital, especially since there are worries over Fury’s cut reopening. He has gotten his father, John Fury, back in camp, which may see Fury box and move rather than attack Usyk on the front foot. But Usyk is also in prime condition. The boxer revealed all the hard work was done, leaving him ready for the challenge.

Usyk’s Physique

But Lennox Lewis and Frank Warren warned Usyk about the challenge he was facing.

“Tyson Fury’s not no easy fight for anybody. He’s elusive, he moves well, he boxes from both sides. For any boxer it’s gonna take a while to figure out. “Also, the height difference is a problem, 6ft 9ins, it’s not an easy fight for anybody.And he [Usyk] is not gonna get the fat Tyson Fury, he’s gonna get the focused guy. The guy that don’t have a belly, don’t have love handles, is ready, focused and willing,” Lewis said 

“He’s in tremendous shape not just physically but mentally. I’m confident we are going to get a vintage performance, I spoke to him during the week. He’s in a very good shape I think, and although he had that cut it has come good as he has had back-to-back camps. Physically I have never seen him look so well. The worry was going straight into a training camp was that he’d peak too soon. He has worked really hard so that he is in his best nick on May 18. I just feel he is going to put on a magnificent performance and stop Usyk,” Warren stated

Nevertheless, Usyk is known for keeping himself disciplined between camps, something Fury has failed to do throughout his career. While he has managed to still put on great performances, there are questions over whether it will work against Usyk.

Heavy rumors appeared on Wednesday that stated Deontay Wilder is being offered $10 million in order to step aside from his contracted third fight with the WBC heavyweight champion to allow Tyson Fury to take on Anthony Joshua.

It was back in February when Wilder suffered his first professional defeat to the hands of Fury who stopped him in the seventh round to claim the WBC title.

According to the Athletic, many promoters and insiders say there is no reason to even think about stepping aside right now due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“All of this kind of talk is ludicrous because nobody knows where anything stands. There’s too many open questions. If pro and college football, which are better financed than the poor boxing business, don’t know where they’re going, how would we?” a top promoter asked.

“To argue Wilder should step aside … for what? Where’s the money coming from? You can ask (Eddie) Hearn. He’ll tell you the same thing I’m saying, just in an English kind of way. What we’re all saying is nobody knows. Until there’s real money on the table, you can’t discuss any fight. You can’t discuss a (Terence) Crawford fight. You can’t discuss a (Manny) Pacquiao fight. You can’t discuss anything because nobody knows how much money will be available.”

“People are saying (Fury-Wilder 3) will do better or worse than 900,000 (buys). Better or worse? What are you talking about? How the fuck do we know with 30 million people out of work?” the executive asked. “Are fans going to use their unemployment checks to buy a fucking fight? We are in an area where we don’t know, and if you are a prudent and sane businessperson, you’re not going to gamble now on the results of pay-per-view or anything else until you know exactly what money you have.

“How can I project doing a fight based on pay-per-view revenue given the economic situation in the United States? Knowing people have traditionally bought a pay-per-view for a party with a lot of people in their house, sharing expenses. During the lockdown, you can’t do that. So nobody really knows where we are at. We have a president who doesn’t have a fucking clue. The medical experts haven’t seen anything like this. What happens if you schedule an event and the virus goes crazier in the fall or winter? Who’s going to put up money facing that type of contingency?”

England’s Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) and Alabama’s Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) were tentatively scheduled to meet a third time July 18 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

That bout has since been moved toward the end of the year because of the coronavirus crisis.

Arum expects Fury-Wilder III to take place prior to Fury-Joshua.

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“Look, Deontay Wilder gave Fury two opportunities to fight for the title, and we don’t forget that,” Arum explained. “One, he selected Fury for the fight that was in Los Angeles [in December 2018]. And then after it was a draw – I thought Fury won, but they called it a draw – he signed on to give Fury a [second] shot, which was the fight in February in Las Vegas. We also have a contract with the Wilder people, which guarantees him a third fight. So, what we’re thinking is to do that fight. We’re making plans on how to do it. It would certainly not be until sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

“And we will do that fight because I think it’s a good fight, you have to allow Wilder the opportunity to come up with a plan to neutralize Fury, which he says he’s working on. And I think it’ll be a big attraction. If Fury wins that fight, and if Joshua has a fight with another fighter of mine, Kubrat Pulev, the Bulgarian, if Joshua wins that fight, then a Fury-Joshua fight would be delayed until next year.”

(Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
There is a major COVID-19 outbreak in Tyson Fury’s camp, and it has now brought doubt that his July 24 heavyweight championship fight with Deontay Wilder will be postponed, according to ESPN.

No official determination has been made yet on whether the fight, that will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will be postponed.

Fury and Wilder have already competed against each other twice, with the first meeting ending in a draw in 2018 and the other ending with the Gypsy King coming out on top in 2020, scoring two knockdowns himself en route to a seventh-round stoppage after Wilder’s cornerman, Mark Breland, threw in the towel.

Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has hit out at the sport in a cryptic post on social media.

The 33-year-old returned to winning ways against Jermaine Franklin last month following back-to-back defeats by Oleksandr Usyk, but received plenty of criticism for his performance after labouring to a points victory.

He has since been plotting his next move, with his promoter Eddie Hearn revealing that a deal is ‘pretty much in place’ for him to fight long-term rival Deontay Wilder in the Middle East in December.

Tyson Fury and Usyk could also meet in an undisputed clash on the same night, but still have a way to go get that fight over the line, and Joshua has appeared to vent his frustrations with the politics involved in the sport after an underwhelming start to the year in the heavyweight division.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday night, Joshua posted the message ‘Boxing: The only jungle where the rats out-wit the lions,’ on his story.

Anthony Joshua has claimed on Instagram that boxing enables ‘the rats to out-wit the lions’

He also posted a clip of Mike Tyson saying boxing is about making the most money while taking the fewest risks

Joshua looks set to take on long-term rival Deontay Wilder (above) in the Middle East this year

Alongside the cryptic post, Joshua also put up videos of heavyweight icons George Foreman and Mike Tyson expressing their own views on the dark side of boxing.

The Foreman clip was accompanied by the headline: ‘I was forced back into boxing because the people I trusted stole everything from me.’

Foreman, boxing’s oldest-ever heavyweight champion, went on to say: ‘I gave it all up. I never wanted to see a boxing ring again. But I got broke and I had to go back in the ring to take care of my family.’

Foreman famously ran through the heavyweight division in the early 1970s before losing to Muhammad Ali in 1974 in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.

He took a 10-year hiatus from the sport between 1977 and 1987, but decided to make a comeback and went on to claim the WBA and IBF belts at the age of 45 in 1994.

Tyson also spoke about learning about the financial side of boxing, admitting that he realised a high-reward, low-risk strategy was the best way forward during his career.

‘I found out that boxing’s business and not about who is stronger or tougher, it’s about the smartest guy – who can make the most money with the least risk,’ Tyson said in the clip Joshua posted on his story.

Joshua has previously claimed money is his main motivation for continuing to fight

‘That’s what boxing is truly about but then ego gets involved but it’s about making the most money with the least risk and you leave here healthy, you have your family and have a enough money to take care of people.’

Ahead of his fight against Franklin in April, Joshua said money was his main motivation for continuing to fight rather than becoming a three-time champion.

He looks set for a major pay-day if he does face Wilder later this year, but has been written off in some quarters, with Carl Froch recently claiming Joshua has no legacy and predicting he will be beaten inside a round by the big-punching American.

Joshua seems to be in a defiant mood, though, and will want to prove his doubters wrong, should he finally get in the ring with Wilder after years of back and forth between the pair.

Tyson Fury has posted a topless picture of himself on Instagram showing his physique, and fans think it proves himself ahead of the huge bout with Oleksandr Usyk.

The Gypsy King meets the Ukrainian at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as they bid to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion of the world – after their initial February fight was postponed.

Fury, who is defending his WBC belt against Usyk on May 18, shared the topless snap on the social media platform, adding the caption ‘Undisputed incoming’ and the date of their fight.

Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on Fury’s new appearance, as The Gypsy King looks ready for the huge PPV clash.

One wrote: ‘Fury is going to KO Usyk’, and another said: ‘Some shape mind. Usyk gonna get burst.’

Tyson Fury has got fans excited for his huge clash with Oleksandr Usyk with his new photo

The Gypsy King impressed supporters when he posted his new physique on Instagram

He was counting the days to the undisputed clash against the Ukrainian Usyk later this month

‘We could be about to see the very best of Fury’, one fan declared, as another proclaimed ‘Fury is going to be the first man to stop Usyk. Bookmark this’.

Another said: ‘He looks great. Usyk is in trouble’, and another claimed Fury has ‘been working for this one’.

In the week before beating former UFC champion Francis Ngannou last October, Fury gorged on six meals a day, including a total of 16 eggs, and all amounting to a training camp consumption of around 6000 calories every day.

The 35-year-old hasn’t fought since that controversial victory, which came a couple of months after Usyk’s last fight, when he won by TKO over Daniel Dubois in August 2023.

Their February 17 clash was postponed after the Brit suffered a nasty cut in sparring, but their rearranged showdown is now just over a week away.

Fury is due to face Usyk on May 18 after their world heavyweight title fight was rearranged

The winner will unify the heavyweight division for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999

Fury looked laser-focused in training footage, as he stepped up preparations for the undisputed heavyweight showdown.

The winner of the highly-anticipated bout will also unify the heavyweight division for the first time since March 1999, when Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield.