Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk officially declared their much-anticipated undisputed heavyweight showdown this week, marked by a launch press conference held in London. The clash of these two champions is set to unfold in Saudi Arabia on February 17, with Fury defending his WBC title and Usyk putting on the line his WBA, WBO, and IBF belts. At the launch press conference, the contrast in demeanor between the fighters was stark. While Fury unleashed a torrent of insults, including references to Usyk as an 'ugly little man' and a 'rabbit,' the Ukrainian remained characteristically composed in the face of the verbal onslaught. This prompted criticism from former boxing champion Carl Froch, who deemed Fury's approach as both tedious and embarrassing during a TalkSPORT commentary. Froch expressed his disapproval, stating, "I think it’s old hat. When he starts with the name-calling and personal insults on physical appearances, I just think it’s not manly." He went on to suggest that Fury's brash attitude could be a hindrance in securing sponsorships, referring to it as a "hard sell for a company." Further, Froch believed that Fury had crossed a line in his attempt to sell the fight through trash talk, leading to a negative shift in public sentiment. "Tyson Fury is now the bad guy that everybody wants to lose," Froch remarked, emphasizing the feedback and comments he had observed. In Froch's view, the press conference antics had repercussions beyond mere promotion, potentially tarnishing the image of the sport and those involved. "You’re representing your sport, yourself, your county, and another country in Saudi Arabia – they must be looking at this thinking what is going off. Is this really how they conduct business?" he remarked, questioning the appropriateness of Fury's approach. Despite the mixed reactions to the press conference, with some interpreting Fury's behavior as a sign of being 'rattled' and others seeing it as motivational fuel, the dynamics leading up to the fight appear to have taken an unexpected turn, casting Fury in a role that has divided the fans' sentiments.