Tyson Fury has thrown his heavyweight help behind Alexander Volkanovski and his shock psychological well being reveal following UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, urging Australia’s UFC featherweight champ: “Mud your self off … and kick arse”.
It comes as ‘The Nice’ has additionally elaborated on the explanations behind his emotive post-fight statements, explaining the teary speech was a mix of being kayoed, realising his days “are numbered” and “attempting to cope with being a high-performance athlete and never with the ability to fulfil that facet of issues”.
BOXING: Fury v Ngannou SUN twenty ninth OCT 4AM AEDT | Order Now with Predominant Occasion on Kayo Sports activities
Among the many most recognised athletes in world sport, Fury has supplied his help to Volkanovski because the English megastar prepares to face former UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia this Sunday.
The hyped headliner – which will probably be proven reside on Predominant Occasion – would be the first skilled boxing look for Ngannou, who UFC president Dana White as soon as revealed owned the world document for heaviest punch on the planet.
Solely final Sunday, it was Volkanovski seeking to create his personal slice of fight sports activities historical past when he moved up a weight class, and on solely 11 days’ discover, to problem UFC light-weight king Islam Makhachev.
Regardless of having suffered a contentious determination loss to Makhachev again in February, the Aussie this time round was dropped by a brutal head kick within the first spherical – then completed with a sequence of hammer fists on the bottom.
Talking after the combat, nevertheless, Volkanovski made the shock revelation that a big a part of his causes for taking the combat on such quick discover was to do with what he hinted have been psychological well being points.
Choking again tears, an emotional Volkanovski admitted to struggling whereas not in camp, and mentioned he successfully needed to take the combat when it was supplied to him as being out of the health club “was doing my head in”.
Fury has additionally been extraordinarily open prior to now about his personal psychological well being battles and was fast to throw his help behind the Wollongong slugger, who’s already speaking about one other defence of his UFC featherweight title in January.
“What I’d say to Alexander is maintain going,” Fury mentioned.
“He’s an excellent skilled athlete. You win some, you lose some, mud your self off and get again in there and kick ass.”
Talking with The Mac Life, Fury added that he had additionally had numerous “uncertainty” round his personal profession over the previous yr, earlier than signing off on consecutive fights in opposition to Ngannou after which a heavyweight unification bout in opposition to WBA, WBO and IBF belt holder Oleksandr Usyk – slated for both December or January.
“I’ve been in that state of affairs all yr,” Fury defined. “I’ve not boxed since final yr, early December of ‘22.
“There was numerous uncertainty if I’d even field once more.
“Then proper out of the blue, all of this has come, and right here we’re. I’ve bought not one, however two fights lined up.”
Ngannou, in the meantime, has revealed he and Fury will “run it again” ought to he upset the boxing world in Sunday’s crossover conflict – and likewise has his sights on a future combat with one other British famous person, Anthony Joshua.
Regardless of being an enormous underdog for the Fury conflict, the previous UFC champ is satisfied he can upset the ‘Gypsy King’ and break all plans for that undisputed title combat with Usyk.
“I feel if I’m victorious we’re going to run it again, for positive,” Ngannou advised Sky Sports activities. “Then possibly see Anthony Joshua for after.”
Usyk, nevertheless, is tipping his personal combat with Fury goes forward as deliberate.
Talking with Sky Sports activities this week, the champ mentioned: “This bout is bread and butter for Tyson Fury.
“When somebody’s saying that Ngannou can drop him, I might in all probability agree, however I’m actually not sure.
“Inform me: How might the man with no expertise in boxing beat a two-metre large who’s been in boxing for 20 years?
“Sure, Ngannou is a UFC champion, I’m not disputing it; however UFC isn’t boxing.
“I’m 100 per cent positive that Fury will probably be victorious.
“But when Ngannou’s comparatively bought a puncher’s likelihood, and if he hypothetically occurs to ship Fury tumbling to the canvas, I’ll concede that I used to be speaking gibberish.
“It’s higher to attend, we’ll see every part shortly.”
Talking on his YouTube channel in a single day, Volkanovski elaborated on his emotional UFC 294 post-fight feedback, explaining how whereas he and his household have been tremendous, the champ additionally understood his days within the sport are numbered.
“Straight after the combat, I did the post-fight press convention and I need folks to know that, yeah, there was a uncooked emotion seen, however I need everybody to know that I’m OK,” he mentioned.
“I feel that folks should do not forget that I did simply come off getting tagged, knocked out. I misplaced.
“I knew that legacy-wise and all that, all these issues begin coming into play, in order that was clearly hurting me.”
Later, he added: “Typically you set numerous strain on your self as a result of I do know I have to benefit from me in my prime as a result of my days are numbered.
“Me and my spouse, we’re nice.
“We have now a good looking household and we’re good. I need everybody to know that.
“I don’t need everybody pondering that it’s not like that.
“It’s simply me attempting to cope with being a high-performance athlete and me not with the ability to fulfil that facet of issues, particularly the final three months.
“After I’m in camp, there’s a selected path, and it’s simple in terms of that, and I’m nonetheless very current at dwelling. I’m in all probability even a greater dad once I’m in camp.
“I’m ticking all of the bins, nevertheless it was more durable to do this the previous couple of weeks when every part was taking place.
“I need everybody to know that it was simply extra of the timing and that’s why you see me a bit extra weak within the press convention after getting knocked out and having that kind of state of affairs.”
He then added: “One factor that I do wish to say, regardless that I’m tremendous, I’m kind of glad you guys bought to see that uncooked emotion, and we do contact on the psychological facet of issues in terms of everybody, not simply fighters and athletes, anybody usually.
“I feel that it’s good for consciousness. I feel these are conversations folks needs to be having.”
Initially printed as Tyson Fury’s stylish message for Alexander Volkanovski
