WATCH: Tyson Fury mocks Oleksandr Usyk surrounded by boxing legends in Saudi Arabia
The war of words for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk began last month, as it turns out.
'The Gypsy King' and 'The Cat' are currently slated to clash in February in Saudi Arabia. However, that's not how the story was supposed to go. Originally, they were booked to fight on December 23, but that date is now occupied by Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin.
Famously, the British boxer was forced to pull out of his December return due to his fight with Francis Ngannou. Last month, boxing legends flocked to Saudi Arabia to watch 'The Predator' nearly upset Fury.
Ultimately, a third-round knockdown from the MMA fighter was the highlight of the evening. Still, Tyson Fury emerged with the win and will be Oleksandr Usyk's next fight. The bout will just take a little bit longer than what fans had expected.
Now, some footage has come out ahead of Tyson Fury's next fight. As released by Top Rank on X earlier today, 'The Gypsy King' mocked Usyk during that viral photo that the two took with combat sports legends last month.
The photo made headlines, as it was a large meeting of former champions. Now, fans know that it wasn't as calm as it seemed. During the photo op, Fury was yelling down at Usyk, taunting him while around combat sports legends.
Evander Holyfield makes a prediction for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk
Evander Holyfield has weighed in on Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.
'The Real Deal' was in attendance last month for 'The Gypsy King' vs. Francis Ngannou. Furthermore, he was present for that photo op, where Fury was seen yelling at Usyk.
During a recent interview with IFL TV, the former champion previewed the bout. A former cruiserweight who decided to head up to heavyweight, he can relate to 'The Cat' a fair bit. He was a smaller boxer whose combination work allowed him to compete with the big boys.
It's clear that Evander Holyfield sees a bit of himself in Oleksandr Usyk. Speaking to IFL TV, the legend picked the Ukrainian to win in February. He stated:
“I think Usyk will win because for one thing he’s a tough fighter and he don’t give up. He quicker. I don’t think Tyson Fury will be able to compete with how many punches he’s going to throw.”
See his comments in the video below (4:00)