Tyson Fury dismisses ‘useless’ Oleksandr Usyk while training for undisputed title fight

The heavyweights will clash in February to crown the division’s first undisputed champion in 24 years

Tyson Fury has dismissed Oleksandr Usyk as ‘useless’ while training for their heavyweight title fight, which is set to crown the division’s first undisputed champion in 24 years.

Fury, who holds the WBC title, will box unified champion Usyk in Saudi Arabia on 17 February, as both men put their undefeated records on the line, too.

At November’s press conference for the bout, Fury unloaded an expletive-filled rant at Usyk, and the Briton has now taken aim at the Ukrainian again.

On Tuesday (2 January), Fury took to Instagram to share footage of himself running with members of his training team, saying: “Another big day of running in the f***ing mountains, come on!

“Easy work, smashing that rabbit’s face right in for him, useless piece of s***.”

Fury, 35, last fought in October, boxing ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia. Fury was knocked down by the mixed martial artist but won a controversial decision in Riyadh, where he will fight Usyk. The WBC belt was not on the line in that contest.

Usyk, 36, last competed in August, stopping Daniel Dubois to retain the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles. The southpaw took the belts from Anthony Joshua with a decision win in 2021 and retained them in a rematch in 2022, again winning on points.

Fury won the WBC title from Deontay Wilder in 2020, stopping the American after the pair fought to a controversial draw in 2018. Fury then stopped Wilder again in 2021 to retain the gold.

As long as Fury and Usyk do not fight to a draw, their bout will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000.

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