Two-time heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury was left confused by Oleksandr Usyk’s “don’t be afraid” comment ahead of their blockbuster rematch this month.

The Ukrainian became the first man to defeat Fury in a professional setting after scoring a split-decision victory back in May. The two heavyweight stars will once again go head-to-head in the squared-circle on December 21 as ‘The Gypsy King’ will be desperate to get his revenge.

Ahead of the sequel, Fury insisted that he will be looking to knock his heavyweight rival out. Speaking in an interview ahead of the console release of the boxing video game ‘Undisputed’, when asked what tactic he preferred out of staying on the outside or stepping into a fighter, Fury answered: “I don’t know. It’s horses for courses isn’t it? It all depends on what I need to do on the night. I needed to get Wilder out of there or he got me out of there and that’s the type of fight it had to be.

JUST IN: ‘It will be a different fight!’ – Oleksandr Usyk ready for Tyson Fury once more

“It had to be a 50/50 gunsling with the biggest puncher in history or else he’d have chinned me in round nine. Going into the rematch with Usyk, it’s going to be the same. I’m going to roll the dice and it’s going to be you or me… best foot forward and swing away. I’ve never been afraid to get knocked spark out. I’ve always put it on the line every time.”

He added: “There’s no secret! I’m going in there to knock you out because I don’t think I’m going to get a decision no matter what I do. I don’t think I’m going to get a boxing decision, so I’m going to have to take it out of the judges hands like I did in America that time and I’ve got to get him (Usyk) out of there. Hand on heart, I have to get him out of there to see victory.”

With a little over two weeks to go until the rematch, the two men faced off to discuss the upcoming clash. Speaking on the DAZN YouTube channel, Usyk was asked if he felt as if Fury ran from him in the first outing, to which he replied: “I said ‘not run, don’t be afraid.’ I will not leave you alone again.”

Baffled by the comments, Fury responded: “What does that even mean? Don’t be afraid… of a boxing match? I’ve had many boxing matches before and not been afraid. I’m sure you have as well, you’ve had 300 amateur fights, you’re not going to be afraid of a boxing match. I don’t really make much of that.”

Following the first encounter, Fury revealed it was Usyk’s divine right to emerge victorious from their undisputed heavyweight title fight. Speaking at the launch press conference of the highly-anticipated rematch in Ocotber, Fury said: “It’s actually been about four and half years – the Deontay Wilder II fight – since I was the underdog in a fight. I’m looking forward to a fantastic fight. Oleksandr won the first fight fair and square.

“It was very close last time. I’ll be a bit more focussed, a lack of complacency and I should do the job. Nothing drastic has to change. A bit more of the same, a bit more focused, and I will be victorious. Last time it wasn’t my time to win or God would have given me victory. I’m very happy Usyk got the decision. That was meant to be, and we’re going to find out what is meant to be on December 21.

“I believe it’s my time this time and all things that happen – positive or negative – are lessons and we must learn from these things as humans, boxers, fathers and husbands. What we know is to go out there and knock each other out and put on a show for the paying customer. I hope you guys will enjoy this fight as much as I will.”

Oleksandr Usyk believes Tyson Fury is the hardest opponent he has ever faced, but stresses he expects a different fight to their first bout when they meet in their rematch.

The pair meet on December 21 at Riyadh Arena after the Ukrainian prevailed in their original meeting earlier this May.

Usyk joined a rare band of heavyweights to become unidsputed world champion, handing Fury a first-ever career loss when the pair of them met in Saudi Arabia.

READ: Turki Alalshikh anounces insane seven-bout card for Feb. 22nd

Speaking on DAZN’s FACE OFF before their upcoming bout, the former admitted he was looking forward to their rematch, and suggested he is the toughest foe he has faced.

“Because Tyson knows what I do and I know what Tyson, it will be a different fight,” he said. “I think [he is my toughest rival].

“Listen, I have much respect for all my opponents because it’s boxing, it’s a tough sport. It’s a very dangerous sport.

“This man is very famous around the world, he’s a big man, I’m a small man, he is a big man. But we have a second fight.

“Boxing, it’s not a play. Boxing is a hard sport. [It is] tough, When I’m back home after a fight, my body tells me [to not do it again].”

Usyk, unbeaten across multiple weights, could well go for a trilogy with Fury if he loses for the first time, but otherwise may head back to cruiserweight.

Turki Alalshikh has done it again.

The Riyadh Season magnate is about to deliver us Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 on Saturday, December 21st in Saudi Arabia. To help promote the event, he’s once again pulled out all the stops with a big money trailer that looks more like the preview for a major motion picture than a boxing match.

The teaser features Usyk and Fury being haunted by each others’ faces wherever they go. From therapists and nurses to wives and fathers, everywhere the fighters look they see their rival. Things get progressively sillier as Fury appears to Usyk in a mountainside while Usyk pushes out of Fury’s infamous pre-fight gut.

READ: Tyson Fury Weight Gain for Oleksandr Usyk Rematch: Strategy or Mistake?

The video, made by BigTime Creative Shop, looks influenced by some infamous music videos like Chris Cunningham’s Aphex Twin – Come to Daddy and Traktor’s Basement Jaxx – Where’s Your Head At. BigTime Creative Shop says they’re the fastest growing ad agency in MENA (Middle East and North Africa), and we believe them. This is just one of many baller videos made for Riyadh Season events, each more epic and creative than the last.

The first Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight went down May 18th and ended in a split decision win for Usyk. While the fight was close, a near-finish for Usyk in the 9th round was the biggest moment of the fight, earning the Ukrainian fighter the win on the scorecards and in the eyes of most who watched.

How will the rematch on December 21st go? Fury is reportedly much more focused this time around, but that’s a story we hear after every disappointing performance from “The Gypsy King.” Usyk has proven himself to be nothing if not reliable in his preparation and fight night performance, so it will be up to Tyson to turn the tide and win the rematch.

‘The Gypsy King’ fell to the first defeat of his professional career when he squared off with Usyk in May and they are now set to run it back on December 21.

Fury believes he lost their inaugural encounter by ‘taunting too much’ and has promised a far more aggressive approach to the rematch.

In order to achieve that, the Mancunian is piling on the timber and looks very bulky in recent images from his camp.

READ: Why Floyd Mayweather threats nosedive as 50-0 becomes unbeatable

According to talkSPORT boxing pundit Gareth A Davies, Fury is aiming to come in around the 19 stone 7lbs mark (273lbs) – almost a stone heavier than he was for their first fight (18 st 10lbs/262lbs).

“When Tyson beat Klitschko nine years ago he was a 27-year-old, very light on his feet, he bamboozled opponents with those telescopic arms, his movement and tying fighters up,” said Davies on talkSPORT Fight Night on Saturday evening.

“That version went away in the three fights with Deontay Wilder, certainly the second and third fights where he became a bigger hitter at 19 and a half stone.

“I’m told internally from his camp that is where they intend him to be for Usyk in this fight, 19 and a half stone.”

Fury stepped on the scales at 18st 4.5lbs (256.5lbs) for his first meeting with Deontay Wilder in 2018 and boxed to a draw off the back foot in a fight that saw him taste the canvas on two occasions.

When they fought again 18 months later, Fury packed on 17lbs (273lbs/19st 7lbs) to pile on the pressure and return the favour by decking Wilder twice en route to a seventh-round stoppage win.

Fury then came in another 4lbs heavier (277lbs/19st 11lbs) for the trilogy and fought through early adversity to knock Wilder out in round ten.

Upping his weight and applying more front-foot pressure is a tried and tested adjustment that worked well for Fury against Wilder.

However, former three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie insists this gameplan will play right into Usyk’s hands.

“He [Fury] doesn’t live, eat, walk, talk the sport but you’re supposed to,” McKenzie told talkSPORT’s talkBOXING Podcast.

“In-between fights is where fights are won and lost. We know Fury blows up, puts on a load of weight between fights and then he has got to get rid of all that weight again.

“Now, they’re trying to tell us that Fury is going to be bigger and better.

“Bigger and better isn’t going to beat Usyk. It’s really not.

“If he puts on more weight and thinks to himself ‘I’m going to bully Usyk this time, I’m going to go in and walk him down, I’ll be able to take his shots because I’m that much bigger’, it’s not going to work for him.

“He’s going to be slower, he’s going to be more predictable, he’s going to get hit more and a lot sooner.

“Usyk wins the rematch all day long, I can’t see how Tyson Fury beats him. He’s not going to knock Usyk out.”