Oleksandr Usyk plunges Tyson Fury boxing fight into doubt with alarming comments
Boxing news: Oleksandr Usyk has set alarm bells ringing with comments about Tyson Fury fight
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Oleksandr Usyk has admitted he isn't 100 per cent sure his blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury will happen.
The duo had previously been expected to face each other in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
However, with Fury needing more time to recover from his recent win over Francis Ngannou, that fight has been postponed.
Usyk's promoter has confirmed he expects the fight to be announced soon, with February expected to be the month when the two men will finally step into the ring and fight for the heavyweight title.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury had been expected to face Oleksandr Usyk in December
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Usyk himself has also admitted he wants the showdown to take place in three months' time.
However, the Ukrainian has now plunged the battle into doubt by admitting he's not entirely confident it'll take place.
"I'm not 100 per cent sure. I will be sure when I'm in the ring," he told Associated Press.
"I will stand in one corner, Tyson Fury will stand in the opposite corner, between us a referee in a white shirt, and only when I hear the sound of a bell – that's when I´ll understand that yes, the game is on.
"I want this to work out, I want this fight to happen.
"The fact that it is postponed is no problem to me. I'm satisfied.
"I don’t care about material things. I care for the path I follow."
With Fury and Usyk's fight hanging in the balance, Saudi Arabian chiefs still plan to put on a show just before Christmas.
Reports have suggested Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are back in talks over a blockbuster showdown.
The duo have been negotiating for nearly a decade now, much to the frustration of boxing fans.
But with the Saudis keen to put on a boxing event to remember, there's now a chance that fight will happen at last.
Meanwhile, Fury was poor during his recent victory over Ngannou in the Middle East.
The Gypsy King was the strong favourite prior to the fight, having never lost during his glittering career.
Yet Fury was unconvincing and was knocked down in round three, before eventually winning via split decision.
His lacklustre performance have raised questions over whether he'll be able to stop Usyk.
And Fury's own father, John, has admitted he doesn't want to talk about that fight.
“I just don’t want to talk about Tyson’s victory. It was a good victory," he stated.
"There’s enough people talking bulls***t, and I’m not going to be one of them.
“My son is still the champion of the world and the best heavyweight by a country mile.
"You watch him versus Usyk; he’ll reign supreme and stop Usyk.”
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Boxing news: Tyson Fury was unconvincing during his recent victory over Francis Ngannou
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In a separate interview, he also praised Ngannou for the way he performed.
“You know what I’m amazed at, is how little these so called boxing experts actually know about the job," he said.
"Ngannou is built like a tree, 19 stone of solid muscle and the kid can fight.
"It’s not how bad they should look at Tyson, Tyson was okay, it’s how good the other kid was as well.
"Give Ngannou credit, he brought the action and he’s a man mountain, Tyson’s a boxer. That kid has been kicked in the face, nutted in the face, elbowed in the face, he’s not going to be bothered about a boxing glove is he? Ngannou was as tough as nails, big strong man."