Tyson Fury has claimed that Wayne Rooney will join him as a sparring partner for around a month as he prepares for his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
The world heavyweight champion is due to face fellow title holder Usyk in the early part of next year, after brutalising Derek Chisora in his latest warm-up fight. Rooney was sitting at ringside for his bout with Chisora - as was Usyk - and he was very complimentary of the boxer's performance and career in general.
Fury joked during a radio appearance that he and Rooney should spar, given that he needs to face smaller opponents in preparation for taking on Usyk. Now, it seems that the pair have agreed to work together in camp, with the world heavyweight champion telling ITV they will link up in the new year.
"I spoke to Wayne last night and he's well up for it," Fury said in a fresh interview. "But he's a right-handed person, so he has to switch up to be a southpaw, left-handed. So we're going to bring Wayne in for preparation for Usyk."
Asked if he was joking, Fury responded: "No, [I'm being] very very serious. He's agreed, so he's going to come into camp for about four weeks and help me. I'm a big fan of his as well."
It comes after Rooney claimed that Fury should be knighted for his achievements at home and abroad in boxing, including winning world titles on foregin soil in Germany and America. He believes that the two-time champion has exemplified all of the sport's good points and should be rewarded with the royal title.
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"I think he's an absolute legend," Rooney told talkSPORT of Fury after the Chisora fight. "I think what he's done for boxing... he's entertaining, his skills are incredible, his mentality is incredible. If I'm being honest, I probably think that he should be knighted because he hasn't been afraid to go abroad, he's won titles abroad, defended them abroad and he sums up and epitomises everything boxing is."
Fury responded on the same network, saying of Rooney: "I grew up watching him as a youngster for England and [Manchester] United, so that's an amazing, amazing speech from him. He's a massive boxing fan, he comes from a boxing family as well, so hopefully we can have a little spar in the future sometime. I do need somebody smaller to prepare for Usyk, so Wayne, if you're listening, get on the blower son!"
