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One fighter's fractured hand has become his sparring partner's opportunity. Earlier this week, Dereck Chisora announced that he had suffered a fractured hand during training and would not be fighting a rematch against Tyson Fury this Saturday. Today, promoter Frank Warren announced that Alexander Ustinov (29-1, 21 KOs), the fighter whom Chisora (20-4, 13 KOs) injured his hand against while sparring, will replace Chisora as Fury's opponent on Saturday. Chisora's injury and subsequent withdrawal hasn't stopped the barrage of trash talk that Fury has been spewing since the press conference to promote the rematch.
Just woke up from a dream that I was spanking @dellboychisora & @BronzeBomber round the ring together. While jabbing @BSTIVERNE outer ring!!
— Tyson Luke Fury (@Tyson_Fury) July 23, 2014
There has been no word yet on whether Fury (22-0 16 KOs) plans to flatten Ustinov's face, but Fury did opine via Twitter that he believes that Ustinov is a better opponent than Chisora.
I Believe Ustinov is a step up from chisora only lost 1 to pulev
— Tyson Luke Fury (@Tyson_Fury) July 23, 2014
Ustinov's lone loss came via 11th round KO to Kubrat Pulev in September 2012. Ustinov's most notable wins are a unanimous against a washed up David Tua in November 2013, and a unanimous decision against Monte Barrett in December 2009. Standing at 6'7" and weighing 300lbs., Ustinov is significantly taller than Chisora, who is 6'1 1/2". Ustinov is still two inches shorter than Fury, who is 6'9".