Shane Fury has revealed the truth about those recent reports that his world heavyweight champion brother Tyson Fury was dropped in sparring by cruiserweight banger Jai Opetaia.
The Australian star paid a short visit to Fury’s camp as ‘The Gypsy King’ prepared for that planned February date vs Oleksandr Usyk, and when he left there were unsubstantiated reports on social media that he had given the WBC and lineal heavyweight king a major shock.
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That February 17 date of course never happened after Fury later sustained a freak cut in training just over a week ago. The world heavyweight title unification match has now been rescheduled for May 18.
The Furys are now back in the UK as Tyson recovers from that cut – which required 11 stitches – and brother Shane has moved to quickly rubbish those Opetaia rumours.
Shane Fury on Opetaia reports
Speaking to Boxing King Media on YouTube (watch the full interview at the bottom of this page), he said: “I can assure you he [Opetaia] never dropped anyone. If he beat Tyson up I would tell you that ‘yeah he’s a very good man and whatever’ – be straight. I wouldn’t be saying anything if Tyson did the same with him – they’re spar stories.
“A load of rubbish – that obviously never happened, just never happened. But people will believe exactly what they want to believe. Any little bit of negative, they can get views off them. I suppose it’s the business.
“These people – if they’re doing 100 videos a month, 85 of them is off Tyson, negativeness.”
Shane went into more detail about Fury’s sparring prowess, and claimed the British superstar has never been dropped, or even wobbled.
Fury sparring rundown
“Tyson’s never ever been dominated, in the whole process of a spar. He’s gone in there and he’s been tired on occasions. You’re not yourself every day in training. If you are, you’re not training hard enough.
“Even in them tired moments, he’s never been dominated, he’s never been beat up. Never ever. With sparring partners – listen he’s had some really good ones – Moses (Itauma), just unbelievable, he’s an unbelievable talent, just turned 19 – he’s had a few fights. Very good sparring for Tyson.
“But as far as Tyson getting beat up by anyone and dropped. Tyson’s never ever been dropped in sparring, ever – he looks like he’s got a f***ing glass chin in the ring – but never in sparring has he been dropped.”
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Despite all those [clearly unfounded] rumours that Fury’s camp for Usyk was not going well, he looked terrific when posting pictures of his sleek physique on social media last week. Shane said his brother was looking good and camp was going well.
“He was in really good shape – and I don’t mean good shape for a bodybuilder, good shape for Tyson. Down in weight, slim, big shoulders, big set of arms, love handles disappearing. Looking well.”
