Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KO) would’ve been knocked out by Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KO) in their first fight in May 2024, if it wasn’t for his father’s great advice, according to John Fury.
Tyson’s 59-year-old father, John Fury, told SecondsOut: “Well, if it wasn’t for me in his corner, he’d be knocked out. Simple as that. He was listening to the wrong instructions and got caught going to the left of a southpaw. I’m a southpaw, you don’t go to the left on me because I’ll catch you.
“He was listening to ill-advice, too many people in the corner and I’m his father, if it wasn’t for me, he not only stayed in the fight, he won the 11th; he shared the 10th because his legs were gone in the 10th.
“He was a miracle man to get out the ninth round, but it was me who kept him in there. If it had been left to them, he’d have been knocked out.”
Tyson and Usyk clashed in this century’s first-ever undisputed heavyweight showdown in May 2024. The fight hung in the balance as the action see-sawed back and forth, both heavyweight champions enjoying success, until one punch changed it all in the ninth round.
A wide, looping left hook struck “The Gypsy King’s” temple and upset his equilibrium, causing his legs to wobble from beneath his 6ft 9in frame.
Referee Mark Nelson was forced to step in and give a standing eight-count after the Brit was held up by the ropes. That crucial knockdown in the ninth ended up proving the difference on the scorecards. Without that 10-8 round, the epic undisputed match would have been ruled a draw.
Instead, Usyk triumphed on a split decision to become this century’s first-ever undisputed heavyweight champion, and the first since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
In their rematch, last December, Usyk was able to pull away down the stretch, after Tyson dominated the early rounds, to win 116-112 unanimously on all three scorecards.
36-year-old Fury has called for a trilogy with the Ukrainian, but the now-unified champion from Ukraine is preparing to face IBF titlist Daniel Dubois on July 19 in Wembley Stadium, England, in another undisputed heavyweight showdown.
Tyson has revealed he is back in the gym with trainer SugarHill Steward, preparing for his ring return, despite officially retiring earlier this year, but it remains to be seen whether that comeback will be against long-term British rival Anthony Joshua, who is about to have surgery on an ongoing injury, or his only conqueror, Usyk, in a final bed for revenge.
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