Tyson Fury has insisted he will be frustrated if his crossover bout with Francis Ngannou is not a "war" on Saturday night.
The 35-year-old's WBC heavyweight title will not be on the line in Riyadh this weekend, when he takes on former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou in a ten-round boxing fight.
It will be Ngannou's first professional bout, and he has not been in MMA action since January 2022, while Fury could be forgiven for having one eye on an undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
That fight will take place on December 23 should Fury get past Ngannou without any cuts or injuries, as he is expected to do. Should he fight Usyk, boxing will have a first undisputed heavyweight champion for 24 years.
At Wednesday's workout, Fury repeatedly took aim at the shape Ngannou was in, claiming the 37-year-old was embarrassed to take his t-shirt off.
Tyson Fury is pure gold 😂#BattleOfTheBaddest | #FuryNgannou | Saturday, 6PM | Live on TNT Sports Box Office pic.twitter.com/1n15Y7IrnA
— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) October 25, 2023
As confident as ever, Fury ripped his own top off mid-interview and urged Ngannou to test him on Saturday night, claiming he will be "disappointed" if he has it all his own way during the fight.
"That's what you call shape - this man is fit for 25 rounds, non-stop", Fury told TNT Sports.
Asked if he expected the fight to turn into an all-action war, he added: "Yeah and if it's not I'll be disappointed.
"I've trained for 10 rounds. If it's anything easier, then I've had an easy night. If not, I'm prepared for battle. No matter how I get it."
It would be a huge surprise if Ngannou was able to cause Fury any problems, as a novice boxer goes up against a fighter who is widely accepted as the greatest heavyweight of his generation.
The former UFC star has stayed away from bold predictions, instead focusing on proving he deserves to be in the ring with Fury.
"Let's be honest, I haven't gained any respect from the boxing community," Ngannou said.
"I'm not expecting anybody to respect me. I need to claim my own respect, respect is not given. You don't just demand that people respect you for no reason.
"Respect is earned and I am going to earn my respect, whether in the boxing community or life in general. That's my goal."
