Oleksandr Usyk suggests Tyson Fury didn’t take Francis Ngannou seriously enough after Gypsy King’s unconvincing split decision win… as Ukrainian’s reaction to shock third round knockdown is revealed

Oleksandr Usyk wasn’t quite sure what to make of Tyson Fury’s largely unconvincing performance in his split decision victory over former UFC star Francis Ngannou.

The Ukrainian heavyweight champion sat at ringside in Riyadh to watch Fury ahead of their showdown in December.

Usyk’s head-scratching reaction when Ngannou sent Fury to the canvas in the third round was telling.

In the end, the judges scored the contest narrowly in Fury’s favour, thereby preserving their multi-million dollar fight to be undisputed world heavyweight champion on December 23.

Afterwards Usyk wasn’t sure how to read Fury’s performance.

‘I had an impression that he was playing. I’m not thinking about [whether he was playing possum] but I will be training 100 per cent,’ the Ukrainian told Fight Hub TV.

‘But listen, it’s boxing. Maybe it was the element of surprise. Maybe. I think it was [a] show.’

Asked whether it made him feel more confident ahead of the pre-Christmas bout, Usyk said: ‘I don’t know, I have no idea.

‘Listen, [Ngannou] is a world champion at MMA, that was a hard punch. Then there’s the element of surprise. Maybe Tyson Fury didn’t take it serious, “Oh it’s an MMA fighter blah blah blah”. I don’t know.

‘Of course I was surprised [by the knockdown]. I watched the knockdown and I said, “Oh, oh, oh Francis! Be careful please!” I was saying, “Tyson! Jab, jab jab, move, jab!” I was saying that.’

Fury and Usyk shook hands in the ring afterwards with the Gypsy King wearing his WBC heavyweight belt. Usyk will put his WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line in December.