TYSON FURY’S coach Andy Lee has revealed that the Gypsy King could not spar as he prepared to face Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury, 36, was outpointed by the Ukrainian in Riyadh on May 18.

The pair had initially been set to do battle on February 17, but the original date was postponed after the Gypsy King sustained a cut in training.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Lee revealed that Fury’s injury had major repercussions when it came to his subsequent fight camp.

Assessing the bout, the 40-year-old said: “Tyson cruises up until round nine, and takes that punch.

“He shows unbelievable bravery and courage to get through it.

“He sees through the next couple of rounds and then almost wins the last round or two. I thought it could have been a draw.

“Fights are won and lost in the training and preparation. Because of the rearranged and rescheduled fight due to a cut, Tyson couldn’t spar in the camp.”

On how the lack of sparring affected Fury’s performance, Lee went on: “The conditioning, sharpness and your ability to concentrate to stay ready and to sustain attacks.

“In the meantime, it encouraged Usyk to come forward and gave him the emphasis to go forward to take it now because ‘I’m taking a break.’

“It’ll be different because he’ll be able to spar.”

Fury and Usyk are set to meet again in Riyadh on December 21.

The Gypsy King last week warned his opponent that he is a master of rematches.

He said, ahead of the console release of boxing video game Undisputed: “It’s given me a little bit of a lift.

“Now I’ve got something really to return for. And here’s the interesting fact, in two decades, no one has ever survived the rematch with me.

“Of all the rematches I’ve had, with John McDermott, the trilogies with Chisora, trilogy with Wilder and I’m going into a rematch for this.

“I’ve stopped every one of them or knocked them. So yeah, I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Their first bout saw Usyk claim undisputed champion status.

But in order to proceed with his lucrative Fury rematch, the Ukrainian was forced to vacate his IBF belt, since claimed by Daniel Dubois.