Eddie Hearn has revealed he doesn't believe rumours about Tyson Fury being dropped by Jai Opetaia in sparring ahead of the Briton's fight with Oleksandr Usyk this month.
Fury is currently working hard in the gym as he looks to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
The 35-year-old will be looking to silence his critics, having been widely condemned for the way he performed against Francis Ngannou back in October.
Ahead of the bout, there have been rumours about Fury being dropped by Opetaia in sparring.
Boxing news: Eddie Hearn doesn't believe stories about Tyson Fury being dropped in training
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Yet Hearn has addressed the controversial claims, insisting he doesn't believe them while labelling the rumours 'absolute rubbish'.
“Johnny Nelson was adamant that Fury had been dropped in sparring by Jai Opetaia," he told talkSPORT.
"Jai Opetaia is with Matchroom, he’s a tremendous fighter. As far as I can see, it’s absolute rubbish.
“Jai Opetaia flew in, he did five rounds with Tyson Fury.
"I mean, he will set about him as he always does, but as I understand it nobody got hurt or dropped in the spar.
“So, I think it’s absolute rubbish, sparring stories are sparring stories.
"As I understand it, Fury’s having a great camp and I think he’s taking it very seriously.”
Johnny Nelson had previously opened up on the rumours he'd heard, saying: “I’m hearing rumours of what’s happening in camp – I’m hearing that he’s getting turned over in the gym.
“So this thing about appetite when he’s in the gym, I mean, he got shown his a***.
“I’m hearing these things and I’m thinking has he taken his eye off the ball, or has time caught up with him?
“In regards to his last fight, I put that down to him disrespecting the man in front of him and if you’re led to believe he had the best training camp, his legs had gone.
“I’d expect Tyson Fury to beat Oleksandr Usyk, but the Tyson Fury who boxed Ngannou in his last fight gets knocked out.
“If that Tyson Fury turns up then it’s done, it’s over."
However, it now seems as though those rumours were wide of the mark.
Fury knows he needs to win to keep his reputation intact, especially after the debacle against Ngannou over three months ago.
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Boxing news: Tyson Fury is preparing for his upcoming fight with Oleksandr Usyk
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And his father John, speaking exclusively to GB News, believes his son will be too strong for Usyk when they lock horns in Saudi.
"Obviously it would be an unbelievable achievement [if he won the fight]," he said.
"For anybody to become undisputed, I think the last one from this country was Lennox Lewis and it doesn't get any bigger or any better.
"So yeah, there'd be jubilation all round. He's gotta' win first, there's a bit of work to be done.
"I'm sure, if he's prepared right, I don't think or see anything that Usyk has that will trouble him.
Boxing news: Eddie Hearn thinks Tyson Fury is taking Oleksandr Usyk seriously as their upcoming fight looms
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"He's been in with far bigger, more powerful men than him. Probably not as good as boxers, but Tyson's a good boxer himself.
"Different styles make fights but I just think Tyson's every bit as talented in the boxing department but he's bigger, stronger, determined, he's got heart and you've got to nail him to the canvas to win.
"He's been getting up every time from these big, gigantic men's punches.
"So in the power department, I don't think Usyk is going to bother him. When you've been hit by Ngannou and Deontay Wilder at his best, I don't think the punching power is going to affect him too much at all.
"If Tyson's done his job, the way I know it should be done, it should be a one-horse race.
"Tyson'll stop him around eight rounds."
