‘Not a bad thing’ – Ricky Hatton explains why Tyson Fury’s fight with Francis Ngannou could end up being good preparation for facing Oleksandr Usyk

Ricky Hatton has told talkSPORT that he believes Tyson Fury may well benefit from his lacklustre performance against Francis Ngannou when he fights Oleksandr Usyk.

The Gypsy King was floored as he crept to a narrow split decision win over Ngannou last month, and will now head into the undisputed heavyweight world title showdown on February 17.

2Hatton helped Fury make his comeback to boxing, and was even in his corner for the first Deontay Wilder fightCredit: Tyson Fury – Instagram

Of course, many questions have been raised about Fury following his back-and-forth bout with the MMA star and some fans are expressing doubts about his chances of beating Usyk.

However, Hatton told talkSPORT Breakfast on Thursday: “I think Tyson will certainly be a lot better than he was last time.

“And he’ll certainly have to be, he doesn’t need me to tell him that, but I think he will be.

“The last fight, I think he simply just took the fella – even though he was a monster of a man – I think he took him little bit lightly.

“I think he could’ve come in in a little bit better shape than what he did do.

“I went to Saudi Arabia for the fight and it was such an occasion – I think Tyson forgot what he was there for!

“He forgot what he was there to do! It was such an occasion and he was fighting this UFC fighter who’s not had a boxing match before in his life and I think he just took it all a little bit lightly.”

Hatton then explained why he thinks this could ultimately have a positive impact on Fury and effectively act as a wake-up call for him before the undisputed fight.

2Fury had to get up off the canvas to beat boxing debutant NgannouCredit: Getty

“It’s probably not such a bad thing,” he continued, “It’s probably what you want before you go fighting Oleksandr Usyk because he’ll know, ‘I’ve gotta pull my socks up, I can’t be performing like that again.’

“So it probably wasn’t such a bad thing, but yeah we thought we’d lost it when Tyson was struggling.

“A lot of people thought he might have lost the fight or thought, ‘There’s that Usyk fight gone.’

“But he got the decision, which I thought he just did, he won it by the narrowest of margins, just because he was a little bit busier.

“But he’ll be up for this Usyk fight, and he’ll need to be, because only Tyson Fury’s best will beat this fella.”

Related Posts

“[Greg Norman] Would Go Absolutely Apesh*t at Me”: Ex-Caddie, Who Claimed Tiger Woods Treated Him Like a “Slave”, Once Revealed

You might know Steve Williams as a former caddie for Tiger Woods. He was on Woods’s bag from 1999 to 2011. During their time together, Woods won 63 PGA…

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s golf league announces new recruit who will play defining role

TGL, the tech-infused golf league being pioneered by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, will launch in just a few months and fans have been given a glimpse…

Amanda Balionis reveals she was left shaking over Tiger Woods interview which caused her to lose sleep

Amanda Balionis revealed that she was visibly shaking when she first interviewed Tiger Woods early into her days as a reporter for the PGA Tour. Speaking to Links Magazine, Balionis…

Tom Kim issues apology after criticism from golf fans for breaking unwritten PGA Tour rule

Tom Kim has issued an apology after the PGA Tour star was criticized for hitting his putter into a green during the final round of the FedEx…

‘Losing to [Phil Mickelson] Doesn’t Feel Very Good’: Tiger Woods Exposed Tense Equation With LIV Golfer Years Before Their Rift

In the field of golf, there is no doubt that one of the most exciting rivalries that has been witnessed is that between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Their rivalry…

Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning receives Tiger Woods text about hole-in-one

Dan Lanning recently made his first hole-in-one at the Pebble Beach Par-3 course. Dan Lanning and his Oregon football team will begin their 2024 season on August 31st at home…