Fans are beside themselves as the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the four-belt era has been announced for February 17. But, for a typically brash Tyson Fury, it’s just another bout.
The Gypsy King will go toe-to-toe with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia to unify the division for the first time since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in March 1999, but Fury claims he ‘couldn’t care less’.
Speaking exclusively to Mail Sport about the undisputed title fight, Fury said: ‘Just the same old s***. Boxing, boxing, boxing. That’s it.
‘I’m not interested in undisputed honestly. I’m not interested in all of that stuff. I don’t care about unifying the division and all of that stuff.
‘I’ve already done it. I did it when I beat Klitschko. I won all the belts. I won the WBC after that so I’ve won every belt there is to win, including Ring Magazine’s, WBO and all of those other belts. I’ve already had them.
Tyson Fury sat down for an exclusive interview prior to a press conference announcing his fight with Oleksandr Usyk
Fury’s much-anticipated bout against Usyk has been confirmed to take place on February 17
‘It’s not that exciting when you’ve already done it. It’s like saying, “oh my god you’re going to climb up Mount Everest, you’ve done it 16 times before but you’re going to do it again”. Then asking how excited are you? It’s like yeah, I’ve already done it a lot of times.
‘”Oh my god you’ve got another boxing fight on Saturday, how excited are you?” Well, yeah very excited but I’ve had 35 of them before.
‘It’s like having another baby. I’ve already got seven so odds are she’s probably going to get pregnant again. Am I going to be unbelievably excited? It’s a fantastic thing but I’ve been here plenty of times before.’
Fury might be playing it down but it’s a fight boxing fans have been longing for and they’re finally getting it – albeit not when they thought they were.
The showdown had been planned for December 23 before Fury took part in a tougher-than-expected bout with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh.
The 35-year-old was left battered and bruised as he left the ring following his points victory over the Cameroonian on the opening day of Riyadh Season.
After the result was announced Usyk climbed into the ring to confront the Gypsy King, but Frank Warren was quick to shut down talks of December 23.
He urged Fury to take some time to rest and recover after the bout, claiming they would reschedule the undisputed title fight for the new year.
Their undisputed clash will be the first since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in November 1999
The long-anticipated bout will go ahead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in three months time
When asked whether he was disappointed to see the fight pushed back, Fury said: ‘I don’t care. I get paid in February, I get paid in December. I don’t care.’
Whatever Fury says, it seems as though the intensity of the Battle of the Baddest had taken its toll on Fury mentally and physically – leaving him visibly subdued in the ring less than three weeks ago.
When asked about his post-fight deflation, Fury said: ‘I think the fight went really well. I got paid, I got laid and I got out of there. Now I am onto my next one. Can’t go any better than that can it.
‘Plus, did I say anything at all on the night or after that wasn’t positive? No I didn’t. In terms of body language, I had a big black eye and I had a cut on my face. How the flipping heck am I going to look?’
Fury may believe he’s already cemented his legacy and that February 17 is just another fight, but he recognises the importance of training hard despite joking he’s been ‘eating s***’ and drinking since the Ngannou fight.
Fury smiled and said: ‘I’ve just been doing what I usually do. Drinking, eating s***, not training, do what I usually do. You know me. Still the same old G.’
But he added: ‘I’m always in camp. I’m always training. it’s no big thing. It’s a boxing fight, I’ve had plenty of them before.
‘It’s not like I’ve never been in the gym before. I’ve just come off a 10 round fight just a couple of weeks ago.’
Fury hit out at Eddie Hearn after the Matchroom Boxing promoter said he heard ‘rumblings’ that the Gypsy King was considering retirement after his close call against Ngannou
Morecambe’s WBC heavyweight king – who beat Ngannou via split decision thanks to scorecards of 94-95, 96-93, 95-94 in his favour – is looking to knock Usyk out on February 17.
The Gypsy King said he will be aiming to land head shots despite the fact Usyk struggled to cope with Daniel Dubois’ right hand to the body.
Fury told Mail Sport: ‘I’m looking for face shots. Always looking for the knockout. I’m looking for face shots, in the face! In the face. That’s what I am looking for.’
Should Fury win, he will take the Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO belts and be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight of the four belt era.
So, where does the Gypsy King go from there? Well, it’s not a topic Fury wants to discuss.
Fury goes into the bout after a hard-fought victory against Francis Ngannou last month
Fans hoped to see the fight in December but Frank Warren urged Fury to take some time to rest and recover after his bout with Ngannou after suffering a bruised eye during the fight
Even the slightest mention of Anthony Joshua aggravated the Gypsy King. He said: ‘I don’t even want to say anything else. Don’t say another fighters name.
‘Don’t say anymore boxing people because I’ve got the fight you were all dreaming of. The undisputed fight.
‘Isn’t this what you craved so badly? So, are you going to say someone else’s name now that I’m giving you exactly what you want.
‘It’s not a Christmas present but it’s like a cheer up thing in February. F*** afterwards. Enjoy now. Enjoy today!’
Fury also shutdown claims he could retire after fighting Usyk as he hit out at Eddie Hearn for suggesting he may hang up his gloves.
The Gypsy King said: ‘I’m not interested in Eddie Hearn. Honesty I’m not interested in what he has to say. Eddie Hearn now works for me.
‘I don’t care what he said because he’s not relevant. Why would I be interested in retirement? Honestly, I don’t care what any of these people have to say, who even are they now? They’re working for me as dossers. It is what it is.’
Usyk’s agent Alex Krassyuk (left) insisted he won’t believe the Ukrainian’s world title fight with Fury is definitely happening until he ‘hears the bell for the first round’
Despite talks over a potential bout for over a year, Fury said the deal ‘was over the line in 30 minutes’
