Tyson Fury claims his biggest advantages over Usyk WON’T help him win mega-fight as he reveals key factor to victory

TYSON FURY has claimed the height and reach advantages he possesses over Oleksandr Usyk aren’t guaranteed to guide him to victory in their Saudi showdown.

The pair will vie for all the heavyweight marbles on May 18 in the division’s first undisputed title fight in nearly 25 years.

Fury, 35, is the bookies’ favourite going into the desert dust-up – with many believing Usyk’s height and reach disadvantages will work against him.

But The Gypsy King told Queensberry Promotions: “It won’t come down to, ‘He’s bigger than me or he’s smaller than me.

“I think it will come down to who wants it most on the night.

“If he wants it more than me, he will win and if I want it more than him, I’ll win, but either way I think we’re in for a real treat.”

Usyk’s shot at undisputed heavyweight glory comes after back-to-back points wins over Anthony Joshua and a ninth-round stoppage of Daniel Dubois.

Fury said of the Ukrainian: “He’s proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights, he’s beat Joshua and Dubois.

“They’re pretty big heavyweights.

“I’m messing with an elite fighter who’s got more than boxing ability, he’s stubborn and wants to win like I do.

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“We both have talent, we both have good attributes and bad attributes, it will come down to who wants it most on the night.”

Fury has put down Usyk at nigh-on every opportunity throughout the near three-year-long build-up to their unification bout.

But he’s seemingly changed his tune on the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, who he’s likened to the great Evander Holyfield.

The WBC heavyweight king said: “Usyk is a bad man.

“He’s a real bad man and any underestimation of Oleksandr Usyk – you’d be a mug.

“I’m training hard for him, I’m doing everything I can, I respect Usyk as a man.

“I respect his career as well, he’s been Olympic champion, he’s had 350 amateur fights or something.

“And he’s been an undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he’s a unified heavyweight champion. So, you have to respect that.

“I’m not fighting a guy that’s had 14 and won 11, I’m fighting the real deal, as real a deal as Holyfield.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk