Too easy, don’t be afraid: Oleksandr Usyk warns Tyson Fury ‘don’t be afraid’ as heavyweight champion laughs off ‘too easy’ claims
Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury in May to become the heavyweight division’s first undisputed champion in almost 25 years; Fury said in a June interview that he had lost the fight as a result of finding it “too easy” before being knocked down in the ninth round
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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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.
“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.
‘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.
“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.
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“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.
“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
