John Fury is worried that he has seen some ‘decline’ in his son Tyson’s fighting performance.
The comments come in the wake of one of the lineal and WBC champion’s less than convincing showings against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in which he was put down in the third and only managed to eke out a split decision win against the considerably less experienced man.
Now, Fury’s focus is on the historic undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk on February 17 out in Saudi Arabia.
Many feel it will be the hardest test of his career. The tricky Ukrainian southpaw currently holds the WBA, WBO and IBF titles he won from Anthony Joshua and has defended in rematch and by stopping Daniel Dubois.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk via Free Bets UK, Fury Senior admits to seeing a noticeable decline in ‘strength, power and physical condition’ in his son.
“For my money, his last three fights, I have seen a bit of decline. Not a decline in ability but a decline in strength, power and physical condition. I don’t know what they are doing up there, you have to address it. He didn’t look himself out in Saudi.”
He went on to say everything about Tyson looked different and has given him cause for concern.
“He didn’t look right, everything had changed about him, his demeanour, his body. I was puzzled. He said he had been training but there is training and there is training. If you’re going at your own pace no one is going to tell you otherwise, no one is going to offend you or kick you up the backside.”
At this stage, few people will be able to teach The Gypsy King much about boxing, and his father admits most camps are about getting his body ready.
“No one can teach Tyson how to box, or teach him more than he knows. All they can do is put some muscle on there and make his body rock solid. For my money he looked fat-thin, he should have been better, a bit heavier with a lot more muscle. Tyson is a mammoth fella. He needs to power up in the body department and the only way you do that is a proper course and they take time and we don’t have the time.”