Wladimir Klitschko is backing Oleksandr Usyk to defeat Tyson Fury when they rematch this Saturday live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Boxing legend Klitschko has been linked with an unexpected return to the sport to pursue a world heavyweight title at the record-breaking age of 48.
It was Fury who defeated the Ukrainian star in 2015 when he first became a unified heavyweight champion.
A rematch the following year never materialised. But while Klitschko might consider fighting Fury for a world championship, he would never box his countryman Usyk.
Klitschko also told Sky Sports: "Oleksandr Usyk is going to keep me in retirement.
"It's not going to happen okay. I'm going to stay in retirement. He's going to keep me in retirement."
Klitschko hasn't boxed since his 2017 loss to Anthony Joshua. But despite being one of Ukraine's most high-profile international advocates, he insists he has stayed in good condition.
"I remember Oleksandr called me at the end March of this year, on my birthday and he said: 'Champ, I wish you happy birthday and I wish that your dream to become the oldest champion of the world will come true.'
"I said: 'Oleksandr what are you talking about, your fight is going to come up, you're in preparation, keep me in retirement.'
"So he promised: 'I'm going to do it, I'm going to keep it [the championship] but I wish you that.'"
Klitschko thinks Usyk will be able to retain the WBC, WBO and WBA world titles he holds when he fights Fury this weekend.
"Oleksandr is going to repeat history," Klitschko insisted. "It's going to be déjà vu. So repetition. That's actually what is happening. I was here for the first fight. It just feels the same and it looks the same and is the same.
"It's all about strategy. It's all about technique."
Klitschko is full admiration for Usyk and has a long association with his fellow Ukrainian.
"I remember when Oleksandr was winning the Klitschko tournament as a teenager, this amateur tournament he was fighting in was carrying my name and he became a champion. He was actually looking up to me. So now I'm looking up to him. How amazing life is," Klitschko said.
"We're going to keep our fingers crossed that also this time he's going to show that he's the baddest man on the planet, Oleksandr Usyk."
Usyk and Fury fight for a second time on Saturday's Riyadh Season event at the Kingdom Arena.
Winning a split decision over Fury in May saw Usyk become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, making him a two-weight undisputed ruler and the first heavyweight to obtain that status since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Fury though is determined to avenge his first professional defeat and beat Usyk. At Thursday's press conference they faced off for the first time in fight week and neither man would allow himself to so much as blink, let alone break away from the intense staredown.
It lasted for over 11 minutes until they eventually permitted themselves to be ushered away.
"It went the distance," promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports after that face off.
He does not however believe that the Usyk-Fury fight itself will do so. He tips Usyk to end it early.
"I think it will finish inside the distance," Krassyuk said. "I expect him [Fury] to be more well prepared, way better prepared for this one.
"So conditioning is not an issue in this fight. Stamina is there. Technically, well, Usyk is better but Tyson is very good. Size, of course, the advantage is on Tyson's side but what gives you victory?"
At that Krassyuk pointed to his head and his heart.
Then he added: "You cannot break Oleksandr Usyk. He will never step away when it comes to the fight.
"For me it was like a complete 12 rounder," the promoter said describing the press conference staredown.
"Mentally this is something that helps you get the victory. Mental strength. Usyk has mental strength. It doesn't matter whether he's in bad condition, good condition, he's finding the way to win. Inventing the way to win.
"That's why Tyson is nervous."
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's huge heavyweight rematch will be live on Saturday December 21 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!
