Jai Opetaia has lashed out at the "absolute rumours and lies" that continue to circulate following his sparring session with Tyson Fury.
The Gold Coast-based cruiserweight world champion shared a ring with the heavyweight star in Saudi Arabia last month, sparring for just five rounds before returning to Australia.
Opetaia is set for a rematch for the IBF title with Mairis Briedis on the Fury-Oleksandr Usyk card on February 17, their clash the first undisputed heavyweight fight in the four-belt era.
His brief time in Fury's camp led to accusations he had dropped the larger man, prompting a statement from Opetaia's management Tasman Fighters rebuking suggestions that either fighter had been put on the canvas.
But Opetaia remains frustrated by the noise, slamming the claims as "a joke and fully unacceptable".
"Just rumours and absolute lies," the 28-year-old told AAP on Thursday.
"It was the best cruiserweight and best heavyweight in the world working together and it was all positive.
"Before the first bell for the first round of sparring I smiled to myself.
"People don't know where I started; I looked up to him (Fury) and now I'm in the ring sparring with him in Saudi Arabia.
"It's the dumbest thing ... another day in the office for Fury dealing with a joke like this, clickbait.
"He's a big boy, Tyson Fury, and my team are solid. But it's just sad for the sport."
Opetaia presented as an ideal sparring partner for Fury given his similarities in style to Usyk.
But a lack of orthodox sparring options for Opetaia meant he had to return to Australia to prepare for his Briedis rematch.
He's sparred twice with Brisbane's world-ranked heavyweight Justis Huni, who is also set for a Saudi Arabia appearance on the undercard to the Anthony Joshua and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou bout on March 8.
Opetaia broke his jaw twice on the way to beating Briedis for the IBF and Ring belts in 2022 then had to wait more than a year to defend them.
He stopped Englishman Jordan Thompson inside five rounds in London then, after relinquishing the IBF belt when the organisation refused to sanction the bout, destroyed Ellis Zorro with a first-round knockout in Riyadh late last year.
Latvian veteran Briedis was the mandatory challenger for the IBF title but has been injured and not fought since Opetaia upset him on the Gold Coast.
Opetaia was slotted back into the IBF rankings and can win the belt back when the pair meet again as the support act to Fury and Usyk's historic meeting.
