As the historic undisputed title clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury looms next month, the verbal jabs have already begun. In a recent face-to-face interview with Steve Bunce, Fury took a swipe at Usyk for wearing an earring, declaring, ‘I know he can’t beat me. A man who wears an earring in his ear can never beat Tyson Fury. Ever. No one who wears earrings can beat me.’

In response, Oleksandr Usyk, the WBA, WBO, and IBF champion, calmly explained the significance of his earring, citing his ‘Cossack lineage.’ He clarified that it symbolises the Ukrainian warrior tradition, worn as a ‘warrior’ symbol out of respect for those who ‘defended my country from our enemies for many years.’ Usyk emphasised that his choice is not about beauty or fashion but a connection to his heritage.

‘I can explain about the earrings,’ Usyk said. ‘It’s Ukrainian warrior, Cossack. They were the people who defended my country from our enemies for many years. This is just the proof of my Cossack lineage. They never lost to anybody. There is no beauty or fashion in this.’

Fury, however, dismissed Usyk’s explanation, stating, ‘Listen, in Ukraine, it means he’s a good fighting man, for him. But where I’m from, it means he’s a p***y with an earring in. That’s the way I cut it.’

Both Usyk and Fury enter the historic bout with undefeated records, with Usyk defending his titles against Daniel Dubois in August. Fury’s last outing was against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in October, where he faced a formidable challenge, securing a controversial split decision victory.

The winners of the Fury vs. Usyk and Ngannou vs. Joshua bouts, scheduled three weeks apart, are likely to set the stage for a high-stakes showdown later in the year. The undisputed champion will be crowned on February 17 in Saudi Arabia, marking the division’s first sole champion in 25 years.