Fury blamed Ukrainians, wanted to fight, and his father prayed for Russian guys: what Usyk's rival thinks about Ukraine

British WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), who will fight the remaining division belts holder Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) on May 18, initially believed that Ukrainians were guarding death camps, and then was ready to fight on our side. But in the end, he refused Usyk's invitation to come to war-torn Ukraine.

On the eve of the fight for the absolute title in Saudi Arabia, OBOZ.UA recalled what the sharp-tongued Gypsy King said about our country and how often his opinion changed.

DEATH CAMPS. Before the full-scale war with Russia, it seemed that Fury did not think much of Ukrainians. He said that during World War II they guarded Nazi death camps. The Briton made this statement in a verbal argument with Wladimir Klitschko in 2016. When Fury said that Jews brainwash everyone, Klitschko compared his words to Hitler's. And Tyson was very offended.

"Wladimir is an uneducated person and does not understand that Hitler killed thousands of Gypsies, if not millions. Calling me that is a huge insult because many of my ancestors were killed by Hitler. Let's not forget that Ukrainians guarded the death camps where my people were killed during the war," the Briton added on Instagram.

Fury also couldn't help but humiliate Ukraine and recall his victory over Klitschko after England's 4-0 defeat of Shevchenko's team in the quarterfinals of Euro 2020. "I haven't seen Ukraine beaten like this since November 28, 2015 in Düsseldorf," the "Gypsy King" wrote on Twitter.

READY TO FIGHT: In early March 2022, he supported Ukrainian boxers Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko, who joined the terrorist defense forces. He was even ready to fight himself, if the circumstances so required.

"This is fantastic. I'll be one of the first to take part in a war if England or America gets involved. I will be in the front row, just like my dad and all the other guys. We will stand up for defense. So that's all I have to say. If you come from this country and live there, then defend it. Love your women and defend your country," Fury said.

At the same time, Fury's father managed to pay lip service to the fact that the Crimean joined the territorial defense and would feel sorry for the Russians, "who have no choice."

"Oleksandr is running around with a gun in his hand, and so it should be. He is defending his country, just like the Klitschko brothers. Usyk will not think about boxing, his thoughts will be focused on being a soldier and defending his country. The Ukrainian people should be proud of him. We can pray for all those Russian guys who did not want the war. There are a lot of guys who have to do it just because the president said so," said John Fury.

NOT MY BUSINESS. And just in April 2022, he backtracked, noting that he was not concerned with Russia's war in Ukraine: "Someone recently asked me about Ukraine. But it is not my business. It has nothing to do with me. I keep my affairs to myself."

In the fall of 2023, when negotiations between Usyk's and Fury's teams were underway about the upcoming fight, Oleksandr invited the WBC champion to Ukraine. "But I refused for obvious reasons," the Briton emphasized, referring to the military operations in the country.

WHAT THE JUDGES THINK. Already in March 2024, when Tyson began seriously preparing for the fight with Usyk, the British champion mentioned the war in Ukraine, suggesting that the judges might subconsciously be on Oleksandr's side.

"We don't want any controversy around the fight, we don't want a bad decision. His country is at war and judges may be on the side of a person who is depressed by the war. But we want a clear decision. If I lose, give me this defeat. If he loses, give it to him. But I don't need any concessions," Fury said.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that Usyk spoke frankly about the fight with Fury.

Before that, Fury spoke frankly about Usyk, calling him a terrible person. The British boxer also spoke about being bullied in his younger years, when he was offered to quit the sport. In addition, he announced the fantastic fees of the opponents for the May 18 fight.

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