Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk both receive warnings about their training after blockbuster bout delayed

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk both receive warnings about their training after blockbuster bout delayed

WATCH NOW: Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk discuss their boxing bout

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 06/02/2024

- 09:20

The two men will fight in May after the Gypsy King sustained an eye injury

Michael Bisping has warned Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk they'll need to manage their training carefully after their fight was delayed.

The duo had been due to lock horns on February 17. However, with the Gypsy King sustaining an injury to his eye, their showdown has now been pushed back.


Fury has taken to social media to show off his slimmer physique, showing he was ready for the fight in the process.

Certainly, the 35-year-old looked drastically slimmer compared to when he narrowly beat Francis Ngannou via split decision back in October.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight on May 18 after their boxing bout was pushed back

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And sports analyst Bisping, speaking on his YouTube channel, has warned Fury and Usyk about the need to manage their training to ensure they peak at the right time.

"That’s about 15 weeks or so… They were almost in peak prime condition right?" he said.

"When you start a training camp you want to work up to peaking on the fight night because you can’t hold your peak, the peak only lasts for a week or so.

"You go up the hill, you peak, and then you start to come down the other side, you start to get tired, your reactions, your instincts, your speed, your power, you can only hold your peak.

“So, it’s going to be interesting, these guys are going to have to plan this absolutely meticulously on ensuring that they peak at the right time."

Should the bout be delayed again, Fury and Usyk could face a staggering $10million fine.

And Bisping feels it would be unfair for Usyk to cough up the cash if he sustains an injury given Fury has already forced one postponement.

“If either of them can’t make it on the night, they have to pay a $10 million forfeit," he added.

"Now that’s all well and good, that’s great. I like that.

"Obviously, it shows both men are eager to make this fight happen. They want to cement their legacy as the best boxer of their generation and collect all the belts.

"It’s a little unfair for Oleksandr Usyk because he hasn’t pulled out.

"The reality is Tyson did pull out. Legitimate pull out.

"Unfortunate, unplanned, wasn’t his fault. It was an accident, but it was him that pulled out.

"So now if Usyk [pulls out], because he might get cut in training, there’s a potential $10 million penalty there for him.

"But he hasn’t done anything. So if he accidentally gets cut, that a $10 million cut for him.”

Fury and Usyk's fight was delayed after Agron Smakici caught the Briton above his eye.

There have been claims that Smakici has shown no remorse for his actions.

Yet the 33-year-old has now hit back and insists that isn't the case, telling the Daily Express: I don't know who said that [about not showing any remorse].

"This is the first time I am speaking about this... I have not told this story.

"It was a strange day. Throughout the two weeks, I was sparring with him [Fury] we did hard sparring in the evenings but that day it was at about midday.

"During the spar, there was a lot of wrestling, and I also do professional wrestling so I had some good moments keeping him in the wrong positions.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk had been hoping to fight later this month

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"He was joking around, as he always does, and we were roughing each other up on the inside."

He then added: "When you see the punch, I know I shot a clear punch but the way he held my head, he was pulling my head forward to him.

"So, that's maybe why the elbow came through also.

"But it was a punch first of all. It was a freak accident.

"He [Fury] was very professional. He wasn't blaming anyone.

"Obviously, he was shocked and devastated but he wasn't annoyed with me or anything like that."

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