Oleksandr Usyk has joked Tyson Fury is his ‘friend’ as trash talk begins ahead of their rematch.

The Ukrainian pipped the ‘Gypsy King’ to the undisputed heavyweight crown in May, handing him his first career defeat with a performance of utter brilliance.

Usyk and Fury have renewed their rivalry on social mediaCredit: Instagram

Now the pair are set to do battle again on December 21, and they are both taking part already in some light training for the mammoth sequel.

Fury sent a video message to his rival alongside his team, which he posted on Instagram, shouting: “Just finished a lovely little run in the bay with the lads.

“Working away, chipping away nicely. Usyk, you are on notice. Come on.”

Usyk’s response was typically hilarious, as he upped the stakes by using his famous ‘Greedy Belly’ nickname for Fury.

He replied in his own video: “Hello my friend, Greedy Belly. Continue training, I am ready brother.

“I know you are working hard, it is good. I appreciate it, thank you so much Greedy Belly.

“You are my friend, you are my friend.”

The build-up to their first fight had been a battle of verbal jabs, with Fury regularly teasing Usyk’s size.

But Usyk, who regularly mocked Fury for his physique, proved that he had what it takes to become champion as he secured his split-decision victory over the Brit.

It is highly likely the Briton will not engage in as many insulting mind games as the time before, given their maiden result.

Usyk knocked down Fury en route to a historic winCredit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Focus will entirely be on revenge for Fury, who could set up a huge all-British clash with the winner of Anthony Joshua’s September 21 IBF title dust-up with Daniel Dubois.

He will of course be confident, and particularly given he stepped up the mind games again by suggesting he won the fight and it was actually ‘easy’.

Fury said on his Furocity YouTube Channel: “I’ve watched the fight back lots of times and still got the same answer – I thought I won the fight.

“Usyk knows he didn’t beat me. I thought I boxed the head right off him for most of the rounds.

“It was actually a lot easier than I thought it’d be, the Usyk fight. People said he’s a hard man to hit, I was lighting him up with four-punch combinations and laughing at him.

“My problem in that fight was I probably had too much fun. It was probably too easy.

“It was like I was in there with a local amateur boxer. I was enjoying it too much, messing around and paid the ultimate price in round nine.”