Tyson Fury kicked off the final countdown to his heavyweight blockbuster vs Oleksandr Usyk on Wednesday, just over five weeks out from the big night in Riyadh.
On May 18 in Saudi Arabia, ‘The Gypsy King’ will attempt to become boxing’s first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis back in 1999. He faced the media on Wednesday at his local football club in Morecambe, and he looked in incredible shape as he did so.
Criticised heavily for that lukewarm performance in scraping past boxing novice Francis Ngannou last October, Fury (34-0-1) appears to be absolutely zoned in for this one, as the biggest prize in sport beckons.
The initial disappointment of a cut eye scuppering the initial planned date of February 17 is now in the distant past, and the WBC and lineal heavyweight king is already in peak shape as he prepares to face the brilliant IBF, WBA, WBO and Ring magazine champion.
The fact he is looking and feeling so good, still more than a month out from fight night, does lead Fury to his biggest fear right now. The thing that he admits ‘terrifies’ him.
Tyson Fury on his biggest fear
He explained: “I’m actually frightened of where I am right now and that’s a fact – I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m actually terrified of where I am at the moment, because I’m ready to go this weekend and I’ve got five more weekends to go.
“So, like ‘Sugar’ [Hill] said, not doing tons of training, but it’s to do less. Because I’m already ready, and if I peak too soon then I’ll come down with an illness, flu, chest infection or whatever, and it’s all f***ed. That’s the main concern at the moment, is monitoring the training, because I’m ready.”
There is of course another massive prize after that May 18 blockbuster – assuming Fury comes out victorious. A meeting, at last, with his great British rival Anthony Joshua. A fight AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn is already calling the biggest fight ever. Get the popcorn ready, once again…
