Oleksandr Usyk warned Tyson Fury not to be “afraid” ahead of their rematch as he laughed off the Brit’s claims that he lost their fight because he found it “too easy”.
Usyk beat Fury in May via a split decision to become the heavyweight division’s first undisputed champion in almost 25 years, ending Fury’s unbeaten record.
Speaking in June, ahead of the rematch which is scheduled for December 21 in Saudi Arabia, Fury insisted that while he thought he won the fight, the only reason Usyk had been able to deliver a late onslaught was that he was “enjoying it too much and messing around”.
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Tyson Fury told Furocity that his fight against Oleksandr Usyk was ‘too easy’ despite suffering his first professional defeat in their world title fight.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News on Thursday at the Ukrainian embassy in London, at which Usyk was present to see UK vehicles being donated to his country, he responded to Fury’s comments.
He said: “Oh my god, no way! Okay, no problem. The next fight will be easy [for him too].
“For me, my fight will be hard because Tyson Fury is a big man, a good boxer, with a good boxing IQ.
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Highlights as Oleksandr Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after a dramatic battle with Tyson Fury.
“But if Tyson says for him it will be easy, ok, no problem. I see for Tyson Fury, I see for the eyes of Tyson Fury, it’s not easy. It will be hard, very, very hard.
“Tyson, don’t be afraid – I will not leave you alone.”
‘Referee did his job protecting Fury’
Most neutral observers believed Usyk deserved victory after he overcame a spell of Fury dominance to force a ninth-round knockdown, and very nearly a stoppage.
Some felt the referee had unfairly aided Fury by stepping in to deliver a standing count when Usyk was perhaps just a punch away from ending the contest, but the Ukrainian says he has no issue with the officiating.
“For me, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Every referee, it’s a professional guy. The referee does his job. Maybe my last punch would be dangerous for Tyson Fury. It’s good.
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Take a look back at the moment Oleksandr Usyk knocked down Tyson Fury in the ninth round with the British fighter saved by the the bell.
“Tyson has a big family, I have a big family. Listen, we win. Everything is ok. I do not think about the referee after the fight. We win, thank god, all good, everything is ok.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh the referee took your knockout win’ and say ‘Referee bad’. I think no, the referee is good. It’s just talking. Blah blah blah.”
‘Fury is like a yeti, it’s hard’
Usyk also reiterated his camp’s claims that he did not suffer a broken jaw during the fight, as Fury continued to claim was the case in his June interview.
The 37-year-old, who will carry a 22-0 record into the rematch, admitted Fury had inflicted damage to various parts of his body as he compared the Brit to a yeti.
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Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk believes referee Mark Nelson should have waved off the fight in the ninth round when Tyson Fury was badly hurt.
“No, not break my jaw,” Usyk said. “Yes, I have a little bit of a problem but I have problems with my fist, my back, my whole body because it’s a hard fight, 47 minutes.
“You see Tyson Fury, he’s like a yeti. It’s hard. My face is good, beautiful.”
Don’t miss the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois IBF heavyweight title clash live on Sky Sports Box Office on September 21