Eddie Hearn sensationally changes Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk prediction just two weeks before the fight as Gypsy King attempts to avenge his only career loss
The Gypsy King lost on points in May after being dominated in the later rounds
Fury’s shot at revenge is set to take place on December 21 in Saudi Arabia
Promoter Hearn is keen to set up ‘biggest fight ever’ against Anthony Joshua
Eddie Hearn has made a dramatic U-turn on who he thinks will triumph in the fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk just two weeks before the heavyweights meet for their rematch.
The Ukrainian beat the Gypsy King on points in May to become the undisputed world champion, coming back from a rocky few rounds in the middle of the bout to finish strongly.
Indeed, Usyk almost put Fury away in the ninth round of an absorbing fight, rocking the Brit with a flurry of 14 unanswered punches which left his opponent leaning on the ropes for support.
The 36-year-old somehow survived the onslaught and made it to the end of the contest but the Ukrainian has recently claimed he can learn from the first bout and perform even better in the rematch.
The fight is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 21, with the Gypsy King seeking revenge following his only career loss to date.
Promoter Hearn has now joined those giving their pre-bout predictions, in an interview with iFL TV, and has sensationally changed his mind from the last time he previewed the contest.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has now backed Tyson Fury to beat Oleksandr Usyk in a huge U-turn
The Ukrainian beat Fury on points in May to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
But Hearn is anticipating a revenge-fuelled victory for the Gypsy King in Saudi Arabia
He said: ‘If Fury wins – and I’m actually leaning towards him, I’ve had a little bit of a [switch] – Fury could fight AJ [Anthony Joshua] for the unified world heavyweight title.
‘The biggest fight ever in the sport. Wembley, Riyadh, wherever.’
This marks a change of heart for the 45-year-old Matchroom Sport chairman after he predicted a Usyk win just weeks ago in a conversation with the same YouTube channel.
‘I have no idea how to beat [Usyk], but Tyson Fury is a very smart fighter,’ he said in October.
‘He has smart people in the corner, but also, from an IQ level in boxing, he’s right up there. Unfortunately, so is Oleksandr Usyk. So, my money, especially when he’s won the first fight, will always be on Oleksandr Usyk.
‘My heart wants to see a Tyson Fury win. Not just because he’s British but also because I want to set up the AJ fight.
‘I’d love to see him do it, but I do see him as the underdog in this fight.’
Hearn’s remarks come after the Gypsy King confirmed plans last week for a third bout against his currently unbeaten opponent before accepting that he would need to win the rematch first.
The Matchroom promoter admitted he wanted Fury to win, to sit up a bout with Anthony Joshua
AJ was defeated by a dominant Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September
As for Fury – he has suggested a trilogy match between him and Oleksandr Usyk could take place
In a recent interview on DAZN along with Usyk and his promoter, as well as the Mancunian’s own promoter Frank Warren, Fury said: ‘There will be a rematch. A trilogy. There’s got to be.
The Gypsy King was back to his outspoken best throughout the interview, labelling Usyk a ‘b****’ and confidently claiming he will win the fight in a fortnight’s time.
Fury has until now maintained a low profile as he continues to work through an intense training camp alongside trainer Sugar Hill Steward.
His previous defeat saw him outclassed in the ring by Usyk who again delivered on his underdog status and displayed incredible athleticism to negate the difference in height and reach.
But, Fury seems to be aiming to make the most of his size advantage against Usyk this time around with the 36-year-old looking to have packed on serious muscle mass ahead of the mouthwatering contest.
The Wythenshawe-born boxer has been recruiting a vast array of sparring partners in preparation to take on the Ukrainian, with Kevin Lerena amongst those hired by Fury’s training team.
The duo went toe-to-toe in a series of intense sparring sessions and the South African shared an image of the pair standing side-by-side afterwards, with the Gypsy King’s giant figure taking fans by surprise.
Usyk had Fury troubled in the ninth round in May and nearly knocked out the Gypsy King
Usyk and his team were emotional after the May fight and posed with a Ukrainian flag
The heavyweight icons will go toe-to-toe for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21
Tyson Fury’s wife Paris morphed into Oleksandr Usyk during the promo for their rematch
Excitement levels for the upcoming bout went up a notch as a sensational horror movie-like trailer for the contest was released last week.
The two-minute clip shows Usyk and Fury appearing in each other’s daily lives with the rematch constantly playing on their minds.
The Gypsy King gets spooked on several occasions when Usyk’s face appears on everyday people – such as a nurse, police officer and even a little girl.
The most disturbing moment for Fury came when he was sitting down with his wife Paris, who claimed the heavyweight boxer had been distant ever since the first fight with Usyk.
As she reached out to grab Fury’s hand and tell the 36-year-old about how much she missed him, her face morphed into Usyk’s. Fury, who was horrified by the sight of Usyk’s face on his wife’s shoulders, pushed his plate off the table and stormed out of the room.
The trailer also played homage to the moment John Fury headbutted a member of Usyk’s team in the build-up to the first fight in Saudi Arabia.
