Tyson Fury's training partner Moses Itauma has revealed the former world champion was "very different" in the build-up to his heavyweight title rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
After Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in May, Fury has the chance to avenge his first career loss, live Sky Sports Box Office Saturday night.
Itauma, who is considered one of the brightest young prospects in the heavyweight division and fights in Saturday's bout, has been a part of each of Fury's training camps to prepare for Usyk.
"He is very different. His mentality has changed," Itauma said at Tuesday's grand arrivals ceremony in Riyadh.
"He wasn't the good guy anymore. He was actually there to train.
"Normally when I was training (before) with him in Saudi and Morecambe, we would race together, bag, lap together, run together, do strength and conditioning together, but this time he was just focused on them self made.
"And he said, 'I'm a lone soldier, I'm a lone wolf.'
"He would get hit with a good shot and he was screaming. I was thinking, 'this guy is crazy'. But to be in this sport you have to be a little bit crazy."
Itauma is convinced that Fury's motivation to get an immediate rematch is not financial, but that his compatriot is simply driven by a burning desire to avenge the loss.
He added: "I don't think Tyson is doing it for the money. So if he's not doing it for the money, what is he doing it for?
"Because he really wants to beat Oleksandr Usyk, and if he was doing it for the money, he would have packed up a long time ago.
"So with that in mind, people have to keep that in mind. On Saturday night, Tyson Fury is coming to fight, to win.
"I don't think he's going to come in and crash because he just might not have trained. And believe me, I was in training camp, he was training hard."
Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury's big heavyweight fight will be broadcast live on Saturday 21st December on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!
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