Tyson Fury has lost a sparring partner at his Saudi Arabia training camp after Jai Opetaia opted to return to Australia to continue his own programme.
The Gypsy King goes head-to-head with Oleksandr Usyk on February 17 with all four heavyweight belts on the line.
It's the first heavyweight unification bout since Lennox Lewis became the undisputed champion in 1999.
Fury has been in a training camp in Saudi Arabia for several weeks now to best prepare for the fight against Usyk.
Tyson Fury is just weeks away from fighting Oleksandr Usyk
PA
Opetaia is fighting against Mairis Briedies on the undercard of Fury's fight with Usyk and has been a part of the British heavyweight star's training camp.
However, it's been reported that the 28-year-old left after just five rounds of sparring with Fury.
His reason for departing is said to be due to a lack of orthodox sparring as Fury has preferred training against southpaw in an attempt to get used to the style used by Usyk.
Opetaia's opponent next month has an orthodox stance and he's now returned to Australia to continue his own preparations.
There had been rumours that Opetaia knocked down Fury and that was the real reason for his departure from the camp.
However, the Australian boxer's promoters have put out a statement to deny either boxer was dropped in their sparring session.
"Jai Opetaia has recently returned from Saudi Arabia where he sparred and trained with Tyson Fury," it read.
"They were fantastic, competitive rounds and an incredible experience for Jai.
"However any talk of either boxer being dropped is not true.
John Fury is not impressed with his son's training camp
PA
"Jai is now back in Australia finalising his preparation to defend his world title and cannot wait to do so in Saudi Arabia."
John Fury was alarmed by what he saw in his son's training camp last month, branding it a "circus".
"It's the people around him who ain't up to much," he said.
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Jai Opetaia has pulled out of the training camp
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"His training's in decline and his camp's in a bigger decline.
"It's not a camp, it's a circus.
"I saw him in the gym in Saudi, watched him spar three or four rounds with a couple of kids - I knew then it was gonna be a hard night's work.
"I thought, 'What have you been doing?' I was alarmed, I still am."
