Oleksandr Usyk has turned to Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko for support ahead of his pencilled-in fight against Tyson Fury.
Unified heavyweight world champion Usyk is set to meet WBC title-holder Fury in an undisputed clash next year. The pair came face-to-face in the ring following Fury's recent win over Derek Chisora, with 'The Gypsy King' hurling a load of insults at his undefeated counterpart.
Usyk and Fury came close to fighting before the end of this year after the former beat Anthony Joshua for the second time, but the Ukrainian insisted he would not be ready to compete again until early 2023. In a recent interview with Parimatch, Usyk revealed the advice former Ukrainian world champions Wladimir and Vitali have given him ahead of his clash with Fury.
"I have been talking to both of them, of course," Usyk said of the legendary siblings. "Wladimir supports me with advice about the sport and the techniques and Vitali supports me with advice about life and the sport, of course. I listen to it carefully and I decide what to use. Me and my team determine the strategy.”
Fury ended the decade-long unbeaten run of Wladimir seven years ago, winning a unanimous decision against the Ukrainian to snatch his unified belts. 'The Gypsy King' never fought multiple-time world champion Vitali, the now Mayor of Kyiv, as he retired from boxing when Fury was in his early 20s.
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Usyk has insisted he is unbothered by the personal attacks Fury has made in the build-up to their fight, stating it's been his goal to fight the Brit since his time as a cruiserweight. "I've been coming for Fury for a long time and we've been watching him since he's fought as an amateur and later a professional. Since when I fought at cruiserweight, I've been watching him," Usyk added.
"Fury is hurling insults at me, but I know what to do in the ring. If I pay attention to anybody who's trying to offend me, I will feed my anger. Rage doesn't help when fighting, it just worsens the condition.
"I'm motivated by the opportunity to fight this giant. Though there are some people who are not so optimistic in my chances, it has no matter for me. I'm doing my job. I choose my way as a samurai does. The way consists of many objectives, but the essence is your way that you have to make."
