Tyson Fury: Heavyweight champion 'put down three times' in sparring ahead of Wladimir Klitschko bout

Fury will face the 40-year-old Ukrainian again at the Manchester Arena on July 9

Fury has repeatedly claimed that he feels unmotivated ahead of July's rematch (Getty)

Tyson Fury has claimed that he was dropped three times by a sparring partner while preparing for his upcoming world heavyweight title rematch against Wladimir Klitschko.

Fury, who won the division’s WBA and WBO belts with an upset victory over Klitschko last November, will face the 40-year-old Ukrainian again at the Manchester Arena on July 9.

The Wythenshawe-born fighter has repeatedly said that he lacks motivation for the rematch and appeared to be in a sombre mood as he updated fans on his latest training session.

“I’ve got some bad news for everybody,” he said, in a video posted on his Instagram account. “A light heavyweight kid come to the gym yesterday from Belgium, absolute dynamite.

“I just thought I could play with him like I usually do and he bladdered me three times, put me down in sparring.

“Give me a black eye, cut me across the eye, I had no head guard on and I said he could wear 10oz gloves, obviously because he’s a light heavyweight and he can’t hurt me, but I found out that speed kills,” he added.

“I hit the deck three times and Peter [Fury, his uncle and trainer] said: ‘What’s going on?’ I said: “Look, I’m a bit overweight, my timing’s not there and my resilience isn’t there at the minute.”

Fury ended the video on a more optimistic note, claiming that the knockdowns had stood him ‘in good stead’ for Klitschko, who ‘hasn’t got the same speed as a light heavyweight’.

It is unclear whether or not this is simply Fury’s latest attempt to convince his opponent’s camp that he is unprepared for the upcoming bout and acting complacent, which he has been at pains to suggest since the rematch was made.

Peter Fury has since given credence to that belief by light-heartedly claiming on Twitter: “@Tyson_Fury looking for new trainer after being dropped by welter weight & being hit with spit bucket!”

The heavyweight champion has been at the centre of fresh controversy recently after making homophobic and anti-Semitic comments in a video posted on YouTube.