Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk tips Anthony Joshua to beat Tyson Fury in potential showdown

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has predicted Anthony Joshua will beat Tyson Fury should the two heavyweights finally meet.

A clash between the British fighters appears close with negotiations between the two sides back on after years of the showdown falling through.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) has two wins apiece against both Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) and Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs)

The Ukrainian has recently welcomed Joshua into his camp in Spain as the Brit makes his way back to full fitness following the car crash in December which claimed the lives of two of his closest friends.

Joshua sustained minor injuries in the incident. Usyk said he thinks his new training partner will win the encounter with Fury and has urged his fans to rally behind Joshua.

"I believe. I look how Anthony is training. He's a machine," Usyk told reporters on Tuesday.

"Now I think Anthony needs help. People who support AJ, we must say: 'Yeah, we do believe!' Listen ... I'm a fan of [Ukrainian football team] Dynamo Kyiv. I'm a fan a [long] time. Sometimes, my team loses but I not say: 'You're bad, you're bad.'

"I say: 'Things happen. You must work, pray. It's normal because it's sport.

"Sometimes people support team or fighter and fighter loses and [they're negative.] You are not fan. We must help each other. If we [don't] help each other we are not people. We are animals.

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Asked if he thought Joshua was ready to return to the ring following December's crash, Usyk said: "I think yes but we need a little bit of time because we know AJ has problem with body after crash but yes, he can [return]."

Usyk is also preparing for a fight of his own alongside Joshua, taking on kickboxing great Rico Verhoeven on May 23.

The WBC heavyweight title will be on the line with the fight set to be staged in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

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