Tyson Fury dubbed 'lucky' by Eddie Hearn ahead of mega Oleksandr Usyk boxing showdown
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Eddie Hearn has claimed Tyson Fury is 'lucky' Oleksandr Usyk is smaller than him as their blockbuster fight creeps closer.
The pair are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia on February 17, having agreed to postpone their fight.
Fury and Usyk had been due to lock horns on December 23.
Yet they both agreed to push their battle back due to the Briton needing more time to recover from his victory over Francis Ngannou.
Tyson Fury is 'lucky' says Eddie Hearn as Oleksandr Usyk fight creeps closer
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Many feel Fury has a point to prove given he didn't operate at the peak of his powers during his win over Ngannou.
And Hearn, speaking to MMA fighting, has admitted he's unsure which version of the 35-year-old will turn up.
Furthermore, Hearn feels Fury is 'lucky' Usyk is smaller than him - something he believes gives the Gypsy King the advantage.
“I really believed he was quite a strong favourite pre-Ngannou," he said.
“We don’t really know physically where he’s at.
"I mean, he’s lucky that Usyk’s not a puncher, he’s lucky Usyk’s a much smaller man.
"Because I think against a bigger guy, against a puncher, against a guy that can wrestle him on the inside, I think his confidence really wouldn’t be there in a fight like that.
"So I do think Fury will win the fight, but you certainly can’t rule out Usyk, and we just don’t know where [Fury is] at physically or mentally after a fight like that [Ngannou performance].
"He didn’t look himself in that fight, but perhaps he was just ill prepared.”
Hearn's comments come after he expressed a belief that Fury had already signed on for a rematch with Ngannou.
“I reached out to Francis Ngannou’s team,” stated Hearn.
“Just to let you know, we’re up for discussing Francis Ngannou and ‘AJ’ fight.
"I never heard back from them.
"Probably, knowing the business, I would say that Fury and Ngannou [2] is probably agreed. For post Fury-Usyk, already.”
On Ngannou, he continued: “Certainly if I’m Francis Ngnanou, there’s only three things I’m doing.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are both excited for their lucrative showdown in Saudi Arabia in February
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"I’m fighting ‘AJ’, I’m fighting Wilder, or Fury.
"He’ll feel like after that first fight that he can beat Fury.
"But, there’s no point [in fighting anyone else], he can really lose to anybody in the top 50 at heavyweight.
"So, you’ve got to cash in at this point. There’s really only three fights to cash in at the level that he wants.
“I guess, Francis Ngannou will fight in the PFL, in Spring [or] Summer of 2024.
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"Then, he’ll fight Tyson Fury at the end of this year. I would think that would be the mindset of the team.”
As Fury vs Usyk creeps closer, reports have suggested the Ukrainian is unhappy at the way his rival is preparing.
Fury has been parasailing in Saudi Arabia on a family holiday.
Usyk, meanwhile, has been hard at work in the gym.