Tyson Fury told exactly what Oleksandr Usyk's pre-fight message meant

Oleksandr Usyk's cryptic pre-fight message to Tyson Fury has been deciphered by the Ukrainian's manager.

Fury and Usyk fight next Saturday in Saudi Arabia to crown the first undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. The bitter rivals have been expected to fight since last April and their scheduled February date was pushed back by three months after Fury was cut in one of his final sparring sessions.

Usyk teased the Brit in a video message by telling him: "Hey, my friend. Don't be afraid, I will not leave you alone." Fury was seemingly baffled by the clip whilst being shown it as he replied back: "What does that even mean? Don't be afraid I won't leave you alone?" Egis Klimas, who manages Usyk, tried to help Fury understand the meaning of the message as he tweeted: "It’s meant you’re f***ed."

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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to lock horns in a huge bout on May 18 with each fighter attempting to etch their name in boxing history as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999. The stakes couldn't be higher as the pair will go head to head for the prestigious WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles.

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Fans were split by Klimas' assessment of Usyk's message as one user replied: "Fury seems incredibly rattled and generally uncomfortable here and throughout this promotion." A second user disagreed by telling Kliams: "You'll be on a blocking spree when Usyk is flat on his back KO'd."

Fury has played down Usyk's unbeaten record and mocked his size throughout their fight build-up but has now admitted he will be in for a tough night. "Oleksandr Usyk’s a real bad man and to underestimate Usyk you’d be a mug," he told Queensberry Promotions. "I’m training hard for him, I’m doing everything I can.

"I respect Usyk as a man. I respect his career as well – Olympic champion, undisputed cruiserweight champion, unified heavyweight champion. You have to respect that, I’m not fighting some guy who’s had 14 and won 11. I’m fighting the real deal – as real deal as [Evander] Holyfield. I’m looking forward to the challenge."

Fury will be looking for a more convincing win next week than in his last fight against Francis Ngannou, as he was shockingly dropped by the former UFC champion on the way to a controversial points win. Usyk hasn't fought since defending his unified belts with a KO win over Daniel Dubois last August.