Oleksandr Usyk's former coach James Ali Bashir has warned Tyson Fury he won't be able to 'tamper' with the Ukrainian's mind in their huge fight next month.
And the 72-year-old also believes Fury should beware his rival getting into his own head when they finally step into the ring.
Excitement is building ahead of the showdown in Saudi Arabia on February 17, with both Fury and Usyk currently hard at work.
It will be one of the biggest nights in recent boxing history, with plenty on the line given both men are currently unbeaten.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury has been warned he won't be able to 'tamper' with Oleksandr Usyk's mind
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Fury is a master of mind games, often doing everything he can to gain an advantage. He also likes riling up his opponents, too.
Yet Bashir, speaking to Seconds Out, has warned the 35-year-old he won't be able to 'tamper' with Usyk's mind.
“He (Usyk) is going to be out there to win that fight because he knows what undisputed means," he said.
“He knows what that means and so does Tyson Fury, that’s why I say it’s a tough fight. This is more of a mental fight than it is a physical fight.
“I don’t think he can tamper with Oleksandr Usyk’s mind.
"If anything, Oleksandr Usyk will tamper with Fury’s mind.
"I think that Oleksandr Usyk is a master of the mind games.
"I think that he is in this fight all the way. I just want to get me a bag of popcorn and sit down, I wanna watch this.”
Bashir does think, however, that the battle will be too close to call.
Fury was poor during his narrow victory over Francis Ngannou at the end of October, winning only via split decision having been knocked down in round three.
Usyk, on the other hand, has performed excellently during wins over the likes of Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois in recent years.
And Bashir added: “He (Usyk) has a very good opportunity.
“But the Tyson Fury that we saw in the (Francis) Ngannou fight will be a far cry from the one that we will see in the Oleksandr Usyk fight.
“Because Tyson Fury will be totally prepared to be a big guy, 6’9 and 280 or 290lbs, whatever he is going to come in at.
"He is a good boxer, he is agile, he is slick, he is confident and he knows what he is doing out there.
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Boxing news: Millions are set to tune in to watch Tyson Fury's mega fight with Oleksandr Usyk
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“I think that this is going to be a tough fight for both guys, but I think that Oleksandr Usyk has a good, good chance to edge Tyson Fury in this fight.
"I think that Tyson Fury will do what he does, put pressure on him, he will lay on him, the mauling, the brawling and he has a good jab.
"To be a big guy he has a really good jab, he knows how to work his weight and he is agile.
“It’s a tough fight but I can see Oleksandr Usyk winning on split decision and I see Tyson Fury winning on unanimous decision.
"It’s a tough fight for both guys, but Oleksandr Usyk is not your run-of-the-mill fighter, no, he is a focus guy, he is a tough guy.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury was poor during his win over Francis Ngannou at the end of October
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“He takes a good punch, he gives a good punch and he knows what it means to be in a tough fight.”
Fury is confident he'll get the better of Usyk in Saudi.
But whether that actually happens remains to be seen, with both men gearing up for the biggest night of their lives.
