The 35-year-old WBC heavyweight champion of the world is set to take on ‘The Cat’, 37, in the heavyweight unification fight later this month and has emphasised he has been “training hard” because he will be “fighting the real deal”.

Speaking to Queensberry Promotions, he said: “Oleksandr Usyk's a real bad man and to underestimate Usyk you'd be a mug.

“So 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 fighting the real deal.

“I'm looking forward to the challenge. He's got good footwork, good boxing ability, technically sound.

“He's proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights because he's beat Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

“I'm messing with an elite fighter."

The fight had been due to take place in February but was delayed after Fury sustained a cut in sparring although Usyk had no hard feelings about the hold-up and actually has "more" admiration for his rival as a result.

He told Sky Sports: “Of course, more. Why? Because it's the man who has my fourth belt. It's the man who helped me become famous a lot.

“Because we, all people, must love friends, [people who are] not friends, acquaintances, all people.

“It's great when you are polite, not dirty.”

Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk also weighed in and said he hoped ‘The Gypsy King’ would be fighting fit for the upcoming bout.

Speaking to Sky Sports separately, he said: “I do hope that Tyson will wear his helmet, his protective gear this time and not injure his eyebrow or whatever he could injure, and that this time the fight on May 18 will go the way it should have gone in December and then in February.

“It's the fight of a lifetime. The whole world is waiting for it. Let's pray for Tyson and expect that the guy enters the ring.”