Oleksandr Usyk has sent Tyson Fury a clear message after the Gyspy King's retirement in an attempt to goad him into a unification bout. The Ukrainian has expressed his desire to face Fury, who has stated on multiple occasions that he has retired and he would only return for a sizeable offer.
The Ukrainian took Anthony Joshua's three heavyweight belts with a stellar victory in north London in September, bringing a swift end to the boxing world's aspirations of seeing Fury and Joshua go head-to-head in a bout of their own anytime soon - unless Joshua defeats Usyk this time around when they'll meet in Saudi Arabia on August 20.
Instead, the growing consensus is that a heavyweight unification bout would instead see Usyk and Fury go head-to-head - should Fury come out of retirement.
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But Usyk thinks for Fury is avoiding that happening, going as far to say that the Gypsy King is afraid of him. Fury recently stated that it would take £500 million for him to face Usyk.
The Ukrainian said: "Tyson says he doesn't want to box me, fight me, because I'm not on his level. That's because he's afraid of me. He's probably kidding. £500m! Who will give him $500m? I also want £500m."
But for now Usyk is solely concentrating on his rematch with Joshua. Since the convincing loss, AJ has joined up with Mexican trainer Robert Garcia.
Usyk told iFL TV : "I don't think about [what] Anthony Joshua does with Robert Garcia. It's not my business how Anthony is training and what Anthony does. I think about what I do, my work, my training, my eating, my family, my country. I don't think about Anthony."
