Tyson Fury is determined to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk after suffering his first professional defeat in their enthralling encounter earlier this year.
‘The Gypsy King’ ultimately fell short in his attempt to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, losing a split decision to his rival back in May.
However, the main talking point of their compelling showdown was indeed the ninth round, when Olekdandr Usyk scored a standing knockdown and nearly stopped the 36-year-old.
And so, with the pair now gearing up for their eagerly anticipated rematch on December 21, the Fury camp looks set to make a major change.
Andy Lee confirms change to training set-up ahead of Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk
During last week’s press conference, Tyson Fury told reporters that his wife, Paris, had suffered a miscarriage on the day before his clash with Usyk.
The devastating news has, in turn, introduced another perspective on their heavyweight title fight, revealing the emotional strain that the Brit was compelled to overcome.
Fury’s preparation, too, was made worse by the fact that his sparring was severely limited due to a cut he had sustained above his eye.
His assistant coach, Andy Lee, has spoken at length about how their training was impacted by this injury, which caused a delay to their originally scheduled date in February.
But, regarding Fury’s corner team, Lee has also confirmed that the leading voice in their rematch will not come from his father, John, but rather his head trainer, SugarHill Steward.
“There [were] a lot of voices in the corner – we were in a dire situation, and had to get him back to himself,” Lee told BoxingScene.
“I was told, and I believed, he was two rounds down, so I had to speak up about that. His dad was giving him great advice, I thought, but he’s also a dad, and that’s his son. ‘Suga’ should have been the only voice, and he will be the only voice in the next fight.
“When you lose, you’re open to criticism.”
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Will John Fury be in the corner for Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk?
John Fury has been a mainstay in his son’s camp from the moment he turned professional, with the former heavyweight boxer always wishing to pass on his expertise.
And yet, it was somewhat surprising when he appeared in Fury’s corner, which already consisted of experienced coaches Steward and Lee.
More than that, his advice between rounds was swiftly ridiculed by fans, who equally suspected that the former WBC champion’s team had become overpopulated.
So now, with Lee making a concerted effort to restore a degree of clarity in his fighter’s corner, team Fury can only hope that the necessary change will pay dividends.