DON’T BLOW MY DOSH JOSH
Fury counting on rival’s win to set up megafight
TYSON FURY is banking on Anthony Joshua beating Oleksandr Usyk because it would cost him millions if he loses.
Joshua will defend his WBA Super, IBF and WBO heavyweight crowns against Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday and Fury is keen for his big rival to win.
The unbeaten WBC champ dreams of fighting for the undisputed world heavyweight title and knows he would get a much bigger payday if he faced Joshua.
Fury was due to take on Joshua in Jeddah in the summer but their £200million super-fight fell through when he was ordered to face Deontay Wilder a third time.
He knows a fight with Usyk for the undisputed crown would never generate numbers like that and admits he’ll be rooting for his fellow Brit. Fury, 33, will take time out from his training camp for his trilogy fight with Wilder in Las Vegas on October 9, live on BT Sport Box Office, to watch the clash on Saturday night.
And he has a vested interest in Joshua winning.
He said: “I watch all the boxing fights, every single one that happens I watch. So of course I’m going to watch a heavyweight championship fight for sure.
“Do I want him to win? Definitely. It doesn’t make much sense in me beating Usyk up. I’d much prefer to beat Joshua up. It’s a bigger fight and people want to see it more.
“If Usyk does then he will cost us a few quid, won’t he?
“Then again we have lost plenty of money in the past so it doesn’t really matter, does it? There’s plenty to go around.”
Joshua is taller, heavier and has a four-inch superior reach to Usyk but Fury has dismissed all the talk he will be too big for the unbeaten Ukrainian.
Usyk is still 6ft 3ins and Fury points out that’s bigger than greats Muhammad Ali,Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is also unbeaten in 18 pro fights, having won the undisputed world cruiserweight title in his 15th outing and Fury claims he will cause Joshua problems.
Fury said: “Joshua’s got a tough fight, you know. Usyk is no mug. People say to me, ‘He’s too small’ and this and that. But the guy is bigger than Ali, he’s bigger than Tyson and he’s bigger than Holyfield. “All those guys, big, same size and the same weight. He’s definitely a good fighter.” Joshua has been backed to beat Usyk with his brain as well as his brawn. His promoter Eddie Hearn believes the unified world heavyweight champ will be too big and too strong for
Usyk. He also feels Joshua will be too quick and too clever for the unbeaten Ukrainian.
The Matchroom chief said: “I just feel he’s in a great place. I’m less worried about this fight than I have been about previous fights, even though Usyk is very good.
“People say AJ will be too big and too strong. AJ isn’t relying on that but I do think that – too big, too strong. I also think too fast and too smart and he’s got to show that.
“AJ is a very big thinker about boxing and skill. I don’t want him to skill off with Usyk too much, I want to see him spark him out. I do think he will do that, I do think he’ll stop him.”
Hearn’s confidence is based on Joshua’s experience. He added: “I’m a lot more confident in AJ because of his experience, the fact he has been in different situations.”