The mixed reaction to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s upcoming fight with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou continues as heavyweight contender Michael Hunter has now called ‘The Gypsy King’ a “clown.”
Speaking to Seconds Out, Hunter – himself a fringe contender who has recently been sparring with Anthony Joshua – reckons “most heavyweights” these days don’t want to fight.
“They want the fame. They want excuses and most of them make them, know what I’m saying. It’s a bad thing for boxing as a whole.
I take my hat off to Francis Ngannou, to him and his team, for making that fight happen. There was an opening and an opportunity cause we basically got a clown holding the belts and it’s a bad situation.”
He went on to show respect to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, whom he believes wants to fight everyone and would do so if he could.
“He’s done it all. He wants to be cruiserweight champ, heavyweight champ, he went into the Olympics, and he wants all the belts, and that’s how it should be. I feel he would fight an even faster place if it was allowed.”
In a passionate rant, Hunter – who has not had a fight on his record since mid 2021 – then branded the top heavyweights as “soft” and overly emotional.
“Their hearts get broken, they’re emotional, their egos are too involved. They can’t stick with reality, they get the big head and they really think they can do something.
I feel like Tyson Fury, he dodged a bullet on Usyk, he’s a real hard competitor, he would give Tyson Fury a problem, that’s not a secret, there’s no way he should not be fighting.
It’s not good for the whole situation. I feel like it’s a selfish move on Fury’s behalf.”
Regardless of the opinions of fellow heavyweights, the contest will go ahead in Riyadh on October 6 and Ngannou has said he will not be relying on his power to overcome the famous skills and footwork of Fury.