Turki Alalshikh recently indicated that he is backing Tyson Fury in the upcoming rematch against Oleksandr Usyk. The highly anticipated showdown is scheduled for this weekend at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where 'The Cat' will defend his WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight titles against Fury.
Both the boxing giants initially clashed in May, where Usyk emerged victorious with a hard-earned split decision. This win cemented the undefeated Ukrainian's legacy as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 and handed 'The Gypsy King' the first professional loss of his career.
Saudi General Entertainment Authority chairman Alalshikh recently shared a promotional video on social media featuring a FaceTime conversation with Usyk and Fury ahead of their bout. In the video, 'The Cat' confidently stated that he plans to replicate his success against the former WBC champion this Saturday.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
However, Alalshikh quickly countered, pointing out that while Fury made several mistakes in their May encounter, he wouldn't repeat those errors and would secure the win this time.
Check out the video below:
Fans had a mixed reaction to the video, with some speculating potential foul play in Usyk's favor, as Alalshikh clearly expressed his support for Fury's victory while also hinting at the possibility of a trilogy.
One fan wrote:
"Well, there it is. Unless Usyk can stop him, they're robbing that boy on the cards."
Another wrote:
"Can't predict this fight; I have doubts it might even be fixed for the trilogy."
Another commented:
"Did he say a third… I hope they are not planning on robbing Usyk."
Check out some more reactions below:
Turki Alalshikh warns Oleksandr Usyk of major mistake before Tyson Fury rematch
During the same video call with Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, Turki Alalshikh cautioned 'The Cat' that he squandered valuable time working on an upcoming film with WWE icon Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, especially with such a pivotal showdown looming ahead. He said:
"You are wasting time by shooting a movie with 'The Rock', and you are wasting time dancing. Let's see, let's see."
Check out Turki Alalshikh's comments below (2:50):
Usyk has teamed up with Johnson for the upcoming film 'The Smashing Machine', which chronicles the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr following his remarkable UFC career. In the biopic, 'The Rock' will portray Kerr, while Usyk is set to make his acting debut as former MMA rival Igor Vovchanchyn.