Oleksandr Usyk: Tyson Fury underestimated Francis Ngannou – but he will be different with me
Oleksandr Usyk trusts that when they fight next year Tyson Fury won’t make the mistakes he did against Francis Ngannou.
Usyk does expect their undisputed heavyweight title contest to take place in February of 2024.
They were originally due to box on December 23, but the fight was put back after Fury’s harder than anticipated bout with Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion who was boxing professionally for the first time.
“I think that Tyson Fury underestimated Francis Ngannou,” Usyk said. “He will be different with me. I think he will make some conclusions after his last fight.
“But again, I absolutely don’t care about how he’ll behave. What I care for is how I will behave.
“Ngannou did a good job in the gym,” he continued. “Then showed a good level on the ring. Very few people believed in Ngannou. Even when I was asked about him I replied that he’s not enough.”
Usyk is confident that the undisputed Fury fight will happen, though cautioned: “I’m not 100 per cent sure. I will be sure when I’m the ring.
“Only when I hear the sound of a bell that’s when I’ll understand that yes, the game is on.”
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Speaking on Toe2Toe, Gary Logan reacts to the news that contracts have been signed for an undisputed heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
The delay, Usyk maintains, won’t affect him. “I’m satisfied. I want this to work out, I want this fight to happen. We were supposed to fight on December 23 but we saw what happened” he added. “But the fact that it is postponed is no problem to me. I’m satisfied.”
Usyk was an undisputed cruiserweight champion and although he has defeated Anthony Joshua twice and remains unbeaten in his pro career, he is small for the heavyweight division.
Fury likewise is undefeated and in contrast to Usyk is a towering six foot nine with an unusual boxing style.
“He is big, complicated, strong. But, I am slightly smaller, and I have an incredible motivation, and I’m hungry for boxing. I’m not motivated by money,” Usyk said.
“I don’t care about material things. I care for the path I follow. I was [working for] this for 20 years. And I think that in February, we’ll hear the bell.”
