Boxing fans perform U-turn after seeing Tyson Fury's body transformation

05 February 2024 , 11:11

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Tyson Fury pulled out of his fight against Oleksandr Usyk (Image: PA Wire)

Boxing fans have backtracked on claims Tyson Fury was out of shape for his undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury was scheduled to face fellow heavyweight champion Usyk for the undisputed world titles on February 17, but was forced to withdraw from the fight on just over two weeks' notice after being cut in sparring. Video footage later emerged of the exact moment Fury was cut by an accidental elbow that left a nasty gash above his right eye.

Whilst posing alongside sparring partner Moses Itauma at the end of last month, fans slammed Fury's physique as one comment read: "Fury looks terrible. He’s pretending to be fat to take attention away from the fact that he’s actually still severely overweight." Another user wrote: "Tyson trying to make his skimmed down self still look fat," with a third adding: "He is so overweight."

Tyson Fury was in great shape for the fight (tysonfury/Instagram)

The Brit looked leaner than usual ahead of the fight

What are your thoughts on Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk being postponed? Let us know in the comments section below

Fury's critics were forced to eat their words when he flaunted his lean physique in a selfie just hours after pulling out of the fight. "Fury is going to do a demolition job on Usyk," one comment read. "Love or hate him the man is in amazing shape, Usyk is in trouble," a second user added. "Best shape he’s been in since the second Deontay Wilder fight, let's go! Great sign," another user wrote.

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"Not sure I’ve seen him in this good shape before," a fourth comment read before a final user added: "I want Usyk to win badly but the shape Fury is in he might do a number on him." Fury was also forced to deny a rumour about his selfie being an old picture as fans linked it to a snap he took wearing the same underwear several years ago.

"The picture of me is not an old picture, it's a new picture. I'm in fantastic shape, I’ve been training hard. I've been on a great diet and I was ready to rock and roll," Fury said on The MMA Hour. The Brit gave a positive health update whilst writing about the picture: “Can’t help getting injured in sparring but what I can say was Usyk was in trouble.

"I am in fantastic shape. I was very disappointed, I've been in Saudi Arabia five weeks training and everything was going fantastic. It’s a cut that you can’t help and these things happen in camp sometimes. There's nothing that anybody can do, It’s god's will. Why would I not want to fight if I've had, I've put 10 weeks into my last for the biggest training camp?"

Harry Davies