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Tyson Fury has told talkSPORT that the size of Oleksandr Usyk should not be held against him as they prepare to meet in a potential undisputed heavyweight world title showdown.
Fury stopped Derek Chisora in their trilogy fight on Saturday night and is now eyeing a matchup with Usyk for all the belts in 2023.
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Fury is 6ft 9in and weighed 268.6lbs in his last fight
The Ukrainian was undisputed heavyweight champion in 2018 and has since moved up to heavyweight in a bid to repeat the feat.
Usyk finished the first part of that job in style, twice edging out Anthony Joshua to reign as WBA, IBF and WBO champion.
Fury holds the elusive WBC crown that Usyk needs to complete his collection and end a historic career.
In recent months, the Gypsy King lambasted his rival as a “midget” and called him a “middleweight” (the division he used to compete in as a teenage amateur) during a trash talk.
During the talkSPORT breakfast on Thursday, Fury dropped that attack and spoke more seriously as he defended his potential rival instead.
“Listen, it’s boxing and styles make fights,” he began.
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Usyk is 6ft 3in and weighed 221.5lbs in his last fight
“He’s already beaten a big guy, AJ – 6ft 6in – I’m not much taller than him.
“I’ve traveled the world, I’ve traveled everywhere, to find a challenger who can beat me, and I can’t find one. 14 years old…
“Usyk is around 6ft 3in and just under 16 stone.
“He’s a pretty tall boy, he’s a lot taller than Muhammad Ali was back then.
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Past heavyweight champions weren’t as big as today’s giants
“He’s taller than Evander Holyfield, he’s taller than Mike Tyson, he’s taller than Joe Frazier, he’s taller than Ken Norton.
“He’s probably about the same size as ‘big’ George Foreman.
“Everyone used to say ‘big’ George Foreman, now they say ‘small’ Usyk at the same weight and height.”
Time will tell if Usyk is big enough to dethrone the 6-foot-9 Fury.
