Carl Froch believes Tyson Fury 'looked confused' during his victory over Francis Ngannou at the end of October.
And the former boxing star is worried about Fury's mentality as his battle with Oleksandr Usyk creeps closer.
Fury was able to beat Ngannou via split decision when they met in Saudi Arabia.
Yet the Gypsy King was far from his best and was knocked down in round three of that fight.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury 'looked confused' during his win over Francis Ngannou according to Carl Froch
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Fury has been accused of becoming complacent as a result of his flat performance.
He does, however, seem to be taking his showdown with Usyk seriously.
Fury has been training and recently cut a slimmer, leaner figure in snaps uploaded by Thomas Carty.
Reports have also claimed he is due to jet off to Saudi in the next few days and will forgo any New Year's celebrations in order to enhance his chances of winning.
However, Froch fears for Fury and believes Usyk will come out on top when they meet in less than two months' time.
The former boxing star told talkSPORT: “2024’s gonna be a fantastic year.
"Hopefully with a close humdinger with Tyson Fury and Usyk.
"I’m picking Usyk for that one, just because of where Tyson Fury is mentally.
"Hopefully Tyson Fury can have a good camp and rekindle some of his old greatness in terms of when he fought Deontay Wilder three times.
"He looked good, he looked different every time.
"But I don’t know it that’s gone now. He struggles to get the weight off him.
"He seems under-motivated. When he fought Ngannou he looked confused. Has he got old overnight?
“Hopefully he turns up and gets the job done, because I want those titles to return to Britain, but at the minute I think Usyk wins that fight.”
Froch appears to have performed a U-turn, having initially tipped Fury to reign supreme.
“I’ve always said that I think Fury’s too big for Oleksandr Usyk," he said earlier in the year.
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Boxing news: Tyson Fury was underwhelming during his victory over Francis Ngannou
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"He’s come up from cruiserweight, a fantastic fighter, massive talent, but I just think that the weight difference … where [Fury] wasn’t able to lean on Ngannou and negate his work and tire him out, he will be able to do that with Usyk … I don’t think Usyk will be able to cope with that … I think Tyson Fury beats Usyk in a really really close fight.”
Johnny Nelson, meanwhile, feels Fury will only be able to beat Usyk if he 'puts his s**t together'.
Fury's own father, John, has claimed he's seen a decline in standards from his son.
And Nelson, responding to those comments, said earlier this month: "It’s time, you can’t do nothing about that.
"It might not be popular to say it but if his own Pops is saying it, and one thing I will say about John Fury, is that he will always speak the truth.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will meet in Saudi Arabia on February 17
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"He’s a straight-talking man. If he’s saying it you have to listen to him.
“But Tyson Fury, if he puts his sh*t together, he still beats everybody.
"His last performance, if he’s honest about what he said, then his legs are gone.
"If he wasn’t honest, I think he can turn it around.”
