TYSON FURY’S conditioning coach has revealed just how well the Gypsy King looked before being forced out of fighting Oleksandr Usyk.
The pair of unbeaten champions were due to collide in the first ever four belt heavyweight unification on February 17 in Saudi Arabia.
But with just over two weeks to go, Fury suffered a horrendous cut in sparring that left him with no choice but to withdraw from the bout.
A rearranged date has been set for May 18 and the WBC champion has protested his innocence following the freak injury.
And his strength and conditioning coach Kristian Blacklock released behind-the-scenes snaps to reveal that Fury was frustratingly in top shape.
Blacklock posted: “Gutted. I’ve been working with @tysonfury since 2015 and yesterday probably the worst day we have had as a team!
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“Behind the scenes and what people don’t see and don’t realise is the huge personal sacrifices we all made as a team to provide Tyson the best possible preparation
“We worked for 4 months dozens of training sessions, massages, meals cooked! Team members driving hundreds of miles to perform there individual tasks with Tyson everyday
“Giving up Christmas occasions with family then travelling to Saudi for 2 months missing out on New year celebrations with family and loved ones, not seeing your children for weeks all to give our maximum efforts to producing Tyson Fury in the best shape of his life.
“We are obviously all down and dejected with the cut, a freak sparring accident, which some people are actually questioning.
But we will regroup and go again as determined as ever.”
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Fury, 35, and Usyk, 37, both confirmed they had agreed to the rearranged fight date which is only three months away.
And Fury went on Instagram Live moments after the announcement to talk down retirement and sent a warning Usyk’s way.
He said: “We keep moving forward and now we have a new date. Usyk’s crying his eyes out. ‘Tyson should retire, Tyson wants to retire.’
“No retirement here, motherf****r. You’re getting knocked out. Knocked spark out!
“May 18, the new date. Live and exclusive from Saudi Arabia, Riyadh season.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
