"Doesn't it seem strange?" - Oleksandr Usyk slams Tyson Fury's fight announcement
Oleksandr Usyk has slammed Tyson Fury's decision to fight Francis Ngannou.
'The Cat' has spent the better part of the last year talking with 'The Gypsy King' to put together a unification bout. Last August, Usyk scored his second-straight win over Anthony Joshua, clearing the path for a clash with Fury. A match between the two would crown the first undisputed champion in the division's history since Lennox Lewis.
'The Lion' accomplished that feat over two decades ago, and no heavyweight has done so since. It appeared that either Usyk or Fury would make history, as they had accelerated talks for this April. Sadly, the fight was instead targeted for December due to financial demands.
However, as the story goes, the fight sadly fell apart. Instead, Tyson Fury targeted a fight with former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou. Earlier this week, their clash for October was announced, slated for Saudi Arabia.
Now, Oleksandr Usyk has reacted to the fight announcement. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, the heavyweight champion implied that Fury ducked him, in order to pursue the fight with Ngannou:
"The guy [Ngannou] is going to earn some decent money. For Francis Ngannou, this is a great opportunity, but for Tyson Fury, it's definitely not. Doesn't it seem strange that instead of choosing a top-10 guy, he is choosing someone who has never boxed before?... Greedy belly [Fury] is afraid of me."
Who is Oleksandr Usyk fighting instead of Tyson Fury?
After talks between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury fell apart, 'The Cat' was ordered to face Daniel Dubois.
The Ukranian has been out of the ring since a decision win over Anthony Joshua last August. Almost a year later, he will return against 'Dynamite' in Poland, as the fight was ordered earlier this summer.
Many are happy for Francis Ngannou to finally get a massive boxing match. However, the only one probably happier than 'The Predator' is Dubois. The WBA (Regular) heavyweight champion is coming off a knockout win over Kevin Larena last December.
Few expected the 25-year-old to get a crack at a major heavyweight title. However, thanks to a lot of uncertainty at the top of the division, he will now get his crack at Oleksandr Usyk.
Ahead of the contest, the Ukranian is a massive favorite, but nothing is guaranteed at heavyweight. As the Ukranian himself knows, it only takes one to win the gold.
#OnThisDay - In 2018, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tony Bellew by KO in round 8 of 12 to retain the undisputed cruiserweight championship. https://t.co/fS4K0aKtK6