Tyson Fury makes Oleksandr Usyk U-turn as he rates rival above all his previous opponents

Tyson Fury believes Oleksandr Usyk is the greatest boxer he has ever faced.

Fury has seen off heavyweights such as Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder but insists his opponent on Saturday outranks them.

The WBC heavyweight champion once said he could beat Usyk drunk but yesterday rowed back on those comments.

He said: “He’s probably the best fighter I’ve fought. He’s a two-division world champion, undisputed at cruiserweight, unified champion at heavyweight and Olympic gold medallist.”

Fury looks a far more slimline version of himself going into the fight than previously, to the extent Usyk’s team suggested the weight loss showed he was fearful ahead of the clash.

But the 35-year-old laughed off such accusations, saying, “I’m in good shape, I’m the same weight on the same scales I’ve used for 20 years.”

The pair go into the fight off unconvincing performances. Usyk was felled by Daniel Dubois, before recovering to beat the Briton. Meanwhile, Fury struggled against MMA fighter Francis Ngannou.

Fury said: “People are right to doubt me. You can only go on Usyk’s last fight and my last fight, with Ngannou. I wasn’t much of a destroyer.”

Predicting how Saturday night might play out, he added: “I expect to be successful again.”