Oleksandr Usyk's sparring partners "pulling out" ahead of Tyson Fury bout, claims former champion

Johnny Nelson has heard that Oleksandr Usyk is destroying his sparring partners.

'The Cat' is currently slated for the biggest fight of his life. On Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia, Usyk will look to put his name next to those such as Lennox Lewis and become undisputed heavyweight champion. Standing in his way is the 6'9" great Tyson Fury.

The Ukrainian is the underdog for the fight, and it makes sense. He's a former cruiserweight with a massive size disadvantage. Former undisputed champions, such as 'The Lion,' have already picked him to lose the bout later this month.

However, if there's one thing that the heavyweight won't allow, it's for himself to be outworked. In a recent interview with Mirror Fighting, former champion Johnny Nelson was asked about Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.

There, 'The Entertainer' revealed that Usyk has reportedly been ruthless in training. Along the way, he's made sparring partners quit. Speaking in the interview with The Mirror, Nelson revealed:

"I’m hearing in the Usyk camp he’s been mullering every one of his five sparring partners and they’ve had to take it down to six rounds and the guys are pulling out. They are big guys, the sparring partners don’t see it going any other way. "I want to see [Tyson] touch down in Saudi and know that it’s on. After this weekend, that’s it. It’s fight week."

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Oleksandr Usyk's sparring partner gives thoughts on Tyson Fury bout

Darren Sealy can't confirm rumors about Oleksandr Usyk's sparring, but he does believe he will defeat 'The Gypsy King'.

The 6'9" boxer has served as one of the main sparring partners for the heavyweight champion. Given his stature compared to Tyson, Sealy was naturally a perfect fit.

Speaking in a recent interview, Sealy was asked about Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury. Unsurprisingly, he picked his teammate to get the victory either by a late stoppage or by a decision.

However, the sparring partner also broke down the fight in terms of specifics. Sealy feels that Usyk will win the fight, largely due to his pace. Speaking to The Mirror, Darren Sealy stated:

“I think the output and the pace, we are longer so we have that advantage which is great but it also takes us a little longer to get the punch going because we’ve got so much reach... Changing the pace and levels with different shots and angles, albeit Oleksandr Usyk or any shorter fighter it can be tricky if they have a really good pace."