Ronnie O'Sullivan has made a bold prediction for Tyson Fury's rematch against Oleksandr Usyk after revealing what he's heard from an insider in the British fighter's camp.
Fury will look to avenge the only defeat of his professional career when he takes on Usyk for a second time in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Usyk, 37, emerged victorious from his first fight with Fury, 36, back in May after winning via a split decision on the judges' scorecards.
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It was the first time in Fury's professional career that he tasted defeat, with Usyk crowned undisputed heavyweight champion.
Not all the belts will be on the line this time round, however, with the IBF strap currently held by British fighter Daniel Dubois.
Nevertheless, all eyes will be on Riyadh this weekend when Fury and Usyk meet for the WBA, WBC and WBO titles.
Snooker legend O'Sullivan is in Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Snooker Championship and on Wednesday, attended an open workout featuring his good friend Fury.
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Speaking to talkSPORT, O'Sullivan revealed what he'd heard about Fury's preparations for the fight after speaking to his manager Spencer Brown.
When asked to give his fight prediction, O'Sullivan said: "I'm going to go for Fury but only because I heard that his training camp, the first time round, could have been better.
"I spoke to Spencer and he said 'this time round, we've been in for two or three months – he's in peak condition'.
"So for me, I think that extra five or ten per cent which he was maybe lacking in the first fight, will probably make the difference this time.
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"I still think it's going to be an unbelievable fight though."
Fury, meanwhile, is supremely confident he will get the victory this weekend.
"The mission has never been undisputed. It's never been my mission. It's been other people's missions," Fury told TNT Sports.
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"My mission is to smash this f***er's face right in on Saturday night. There's no chance he can beat me. None.
"I ain't got a cut this time that I'm nursing. Yeah [I can spar], I can do everything now. I've never been as confident in my life of smashing a f***er's face in than doing it to him on Saturday.
"Even at 36, when people think he’s f***ed, he will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. I'm going to destroy this f***er on Saturday night, you watch.
"Watch me go to work on Saturday night on him. You watch it."
How to watch Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
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To watch Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk go head to head, there are three options:
1.) You can watch the rematch on DAZN with no subscription required. All you need to do is buy the PPV for £24.99 and you will automatically get a seven-day free trial which you can later cancel to stop the subscription from rolling over. You’ll be able to stream the match on a range of devices including PlayStation, Chromecast, and Smart TV. If you do decide to roll over your free trial, you’ll move onto a monthly plan costing £24.99 per month and get access to over 150 fights every year, with the option to cancel with 30 days’ notice.
2.) You can also tune in live on Sky Sports Box Office (Sky channel 491). The event is priced at £24.95 for Sky customers in the UK and €27.95 if you’re based in the Republic of Ireland. Sadly Sky does not offer free trials, but Sky subscribers can book the match here and if you’re new to Sky, you can sign up here.
3.) Finally, you can watch the fight on TNT Sports with a Prime Video subscription (free for the first month then £8.99/ month), provided you have discovery+ (from £3.99/ month) as part of your subscription. If you don't fancy shelling out, you can simply cancel your subscription after the first month.
Topics: Boxing, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Saudi Arabia, Ronnie OSullivan, Snooker
Rory O'Callaghan