OLEKSANDR USYK has been offered sparring by 6ft 8in MMA champion Renan Ferreira to help prepare for the giant Gypsy King.
Usyk was due to fight Tyson Fury in the first ever four-belt heavyweight unification on February 17 in Saudi Arabia.
But the historic undisputed title decider has been moved to May 18 after Fury received over ten stitches for a sparring injury.
Usyk had drafted in a squad of humongous heavyweights to replicate Fury’s hard-to-come-by 6ft 9in frame.
But he could add one more to his arsenal after Brazilian MMA star Ferreira – who stands a huge 6ft 8in – proposed his services.
He told SunSport: “Absolutely, it would be a great opportunity to learn, an honour really to share the ring with Usyk and learn from all the accolades he has.
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“And hopefully be able to help him with some of the things I have to offer.”
Ferreira last year won the Professional Fighters League season, scooping the heavyweight belt and $1million cash prize.
And he returns on February 24 in Riyadh against former Bellator champ Ryan Bader.
Last year, the PFL took over Bellator and to kick off their merger, rivalling title holders will battle for bragging rights.
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But on the line for Ferreira, 34, and Bader, 40, will be the chance to welcome Francis Ngannou back to the cage.
Ngannou, 37, last year put his MMA career on hold to cross over to the boxing ring to fight Fury, 35.
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He astonishingly scored a shock knockdown but was controversially beaten by split-decision.
Fury snubbed a rematch to instead focus on Usyk, 37, so Ngannou instead signed to fight Anthony Joshua, 34, on March 8.
But Ferreira is waiting in the wings and would even face Ngannou in the boxing ring.
He said: “I’ve always been a massive fan of boxing and that martial art.
“It’s definitely something I would like to do in my career, test myself in a boxing ring. And to do that against Francis, I think it would be awesome.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
