Oleksandr Usyk sends surprise message to Tyson Fury following A League of Their Own dig
Oleksandr Usyk gave Tyson Fury a surprise call out while collecting his award for The Ring Male Fighter of the Year. Usyk was in attendance at The Ring Magazine awards in London on Saturday night and rubbed shoulders with fellow boxing greats. GettyUsyk won male fighter of the year at the awards[/caption] And attended the event at the Old Royal Naval College with boxing’s biggest namesGetty Gabriela Fundora was named The Ring Female Fighter of the Year and Daniel Dubois won The Ring Knockout of the Year award for his KO of Anthony Joshua in September. Bruno Surace’s KO of Jaime Munguia was The Ring’s Upset of the Year, while Moses Itauma was named their prospect of the year. “Firstly, I want to thank God,” Usyk said during his acceptance speech. “My family, my team, his Excellency – thank you so much. This year was great for me, my team and my country. For me, it’s very important. “If you want to help people give good smiles, education and behaviour – smile. Thank you so much.” Usyk then received an ovation before returning to the mic with one last comment. “And I want to say to my opponent, ” he added. “My best friend, Tyson Fury, my friend greedy belly – thank you so much you, were a great opponent.” Usyk’s words follow an episode of A League of Their Own that aired this week during which Fury had a slight dig at the Ukrainian. The former heavyweight champion of the world also used Micah Richards as a punch bag in the episode, and said he never plans any of his famous trash talking. asked Fury what Usyk’s favourite takeaway food wasA League of Their Own Fury told co-host Jamie Redknapp it was ‘rabbit pie’A League of Their Own When asked a question by host Romesh Ranganathan during a game dressed up as a rugby player, Fury made the audience erupt with his sneaky remark. “What is Oleksandr Usyk‘s favourite takeaway food?” Ranganathan said. And before his team answered the question, Fury responded: “Rabbit pie.” Fury had often referred to Usyk as a rabbit through their rivalry, mocking the gap in his teeth. Richards, who is renowned for his work as a Sky Sports pundit, commented on his experience being punched by Fury. “To be honest, I thought he was going to hit me harder. He actually went a bit soft,” Richards said. “It was really nice meeting him away from elite sport. Sometimes, if you saw him at a boxing match, he might say, ‘Hello’, but he is in ‘the zone’ isn’t he. Usyk caught up with Joshua, who he beat twice in 2021 and 2022Getty “To see him out of work and just so humble and nice, he was like a big friendly giant. Some people come on this show and you might think they’ll be really funny or really angry. “Whatever it may be, it could be a sporting legend, but I was really intrigued to see what he was going to be like, but he is so humble. It was certainly a big draw, getting him on – he is unbelievable.” Joshua was asked at the awards about a potential blockbuster fight with Fury and admitted he is eager to make it happen. “It’s a fight I want to see because I am a fan of boxing,” he said. “When I am in the gym, everyone is asking me [about this fight]. I ain’t got many years ahead of me. I want to leave the game with a bang and make an impact.” Dubois defends his IBF title for the first time against Joseph Parker next month and his hopeful to avenge his 2023 defeat to Usyk after.
Oleksandr Usyk gave Tyson Fury a surprise call out while collecting his award for The Ring Male Fighter of the Year.
Usyk was in attendance at The Ring Magazine awards in London on Saturday night and rubbed shoulders with fellow boxing greats.
Gabriela Fundora was named The Ring Female Fighter of the Year and Daniel Dubois won The Ring Knockout of the Year award for his KO of Anthony Joshua in September.
Bruno Surace’s KO of Jaime Munguia was The Ring’s Upset of the Year, while Moses Itauma was named their prospect of the year.
“Firstly, I want to thank God,” Usyk said during his acceptance speech.
“My family, my team, his Excellency – thank you so much. This year was great for me, my team and my country. For me, it’s very important.
“If you want to help people give good smiles, education and behaviour – smile. Thank you so much.”
Usyk then received an ovation before returning to the mic with one last comment.
“And I want to say to my opponent, ” he added.
“My best friend, Tyson Fury, my friend greedy belly – thank you so much you, were a great opponent.”
Usyk’s words follow an episode of A League of Their Own that aired this week during which Fury had a slight dig at the Ukrainian.
The former heavyweight champion of the world also used Micah Richards as a punch bag in the episode, and said he never plans any of his famous trash talking.
When asked a question by host Romesh Ranganathan during a game dressed up as a rugby player, Fury made the audience erupt with his sneaky remark.
“What is Oleksandr Usyk‘s favourite takeaway food?” Ranganathan said.
And before his team answered the question, Fury responded: “Rabbit pie.”
Fury had often referred to Usyk as a rabbit through their rivalry, mocking the gap in his teeth.
Richards, who is renowned for his work as a Sky Sports pundit, commented on his experience being punched by Fury.
“To be honest, I thought he was going to hit me harder. He actually went a bit soft,” Richards said.
“It was really nice meeting him away from elite sport. Sometimes, if you saw him at a boxing match, he might say, ‘Hello’, but he is in ‘the zone’ isn’t he.
“To see him out of work and just so humble and nice, he was like a big friendly giant. Some people come on this show and you might think they’ll be really funny or really angry.
“Whatever it may be, it could be a sporting legend, but I was really intrigued to see what he was going to be like, but he is so humble. It was certainly a big draw, getting him on – he is unbelievable.”
Joshua was asked at the awards about a potential blockbuster fight with Fury and admitted he is eager to make it happen.
“It’s a fight I want to see because I am a fan of boxing,” he said.
“When I am in the gym, everyone is asking me [about this fight]. I ain’t got many years ahead of me. I want to leave the game with a bang and make an impact.”
Dubois defends his IBF title for the first time against Joseph Parker next month and his hopeful to avenge his 2023 defeat to Usyk after.
