“When I have a good dance partner….” Tyson Fury feels fully confident despite admission to lack of motivation for Francis Ngannou bout

Ahead of this weekend's historic first undisputed heavyweight championship clash, Tyson Fury makes bold claims about his performance against underdog Francis Ngannou.

“When I have a good dance partner….” Tyson Fury feels fully confident despite admission to lack of motivation for Francis Ngannou bout

Tyson Fury diminishes Francis Ngannou as mediocre talent (Source: IMAGO/Instagram)

What’s Tyson Fury’s out from a knockdown from heavyweight Francis Ngannou? Tyson Fury blames his form on his less-than-stellar foes for not motivating him. If the opposition doesn’t amp him up, fans see a laggard and plump Fury. Luckily enough, his clash with IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Usyk does pique his interest.

The duo meet this Saturday night to crown the four-belt era’s new undisputed champ. He met Francis Ngannou in last year’s Riyadh Season Opening Ceremony. Funnily enough, Fury pushed for a fight with the ex-UFC heavyweight for the better part of a year. Now, the ‘Gypsy King’ doubles down on mediocrity in a short interval. This is a trend that makes Oleksandr Usyk consider he has swiveling manic episodes.

When I have a good dance partner, I can have a bit of training properly… and then have a good fight. It’s hard for me to get up for people I don’t really rate…If you put the average men in front of me like the Chisoras and Dillian Whyte and Francis Ngannou, …I’m not getting turned on. I’m definitely turned on for this one…You put me at the top of the world on a Las Vegas stage, and I look good.
Tyson Fury during Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions Pre-fight Grand Arrivals (@Queensberry)
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Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) eked a split decision win, barely outpointing Francis Ngannou when they met. True to Usyk’s prognosis, he tuned up his whole physicality in a matter of months. Perhaps the innate sense of facing a UFC guy caused him to not take camp seriously. The likes of Dereck Chisora, Ngannou, and Dillian Whyte were obstructions and reasons why he came so heavy.

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While at a career-high of 277 lbs, he received $50 million in fight purse for Ngannou. Promoter Bob Arum insists he now has $100 million reasons to think differently. Flipping out on names like Filip Hrgovic, Martin Bakole, or Anthony Joshua did not help. Usyk would go on to bag a win against the KO artists Joshua and Daniel Dubois. Now, he means to dominate over another UK’s heavyweight boxing phenom – Fury.

Tyson Fury hails Oleksandr Usyk with rare compliment

Tyson Fury and his claims of not facing the Crème de la crème of boxing staples are sure to turn heads soon. The British boxer said he lacked the proper enthusiasm to face newbie opposition like Francis Ngannou to take it seriously. In a way, it makes sense. A more-prepped Joshua knocked out Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 0-2 boxing) quite easily.

Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk
Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk (Source: IMAGO/boxingnews24.com)

He next faces Oleksandr Usyk. Fury means to unify his WBC title against Usyk’s WBA (Super), IBF/WBO/IBO, and ‘The Ring‘ heavyweight title straps. Unlike Ngannou and others, the ‘Gypsy King’ considers him a better competition than most.

I don’t think their [Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko] credentials match up to Oleksandr’s. I’m giving him the respect as a boxer. He came from a poor background and become a multi-millionaire in boxing like myself, and here we are, battling it out for all the marbles on Saturday night...
Tyson Fury during Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions Pre-fight Grand Arrivals (@Queensberry)

The question is – how much does he really consider him better? Wobbling in R12 of his WBC heavyweight title frame against Deontay Wilder, he considers him the most powerful puncher. Yet again, Fury said nobody knocked him down harder than Ngannou, whom he now terms mediocre. His most successful frames have been against the likes of Wilder, Otto Wallin, and Tom Schwarz in Las Vegas. However, Wilder and the others are considerably the weaker of the lot.

The Ukrainian, on the other hand, was the only cruiserweight titleholder of the modern four-belt era before he vastly made his mark at heavyweight. So, saying that the undefeated Oleksandr Usyk is better does not say much. As of late, Fury’s compliments, while flattering, have been contradictory or debatable, even borderline underhanded innuendos. Is it some manic flickering? Or is Fury playing mind games?

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