Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s entourage confronted and clashed at a media event ahead of their boxing match in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Tyson Fury’s father was left with a cut on his forehead and bloody streaks across his face after appearing to headbutt a member of Oleksandr Usyk’s entourage at the media day for their undisputed world heavyweight title fight in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
John Fury confirmed to Sky Sports television that he was involved in an incident at Monday’s event in Riyadh, saying: “He was in front of me, trying to be clever; ‘Usyk!’ “He was entering my space. Then he took a step closer. I mean, after all, I’m a warrior. We fight with people. If you come to space, you’ll get what’s coming.”
Sky reported that Saudi officials decided to draw a line under the incident.
The fight, billed as the “Ring of Fire”, will unite Briton Fury’s WBC heavyweight championship with the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts held by Ukrainian Usyk. Both are undefeated professionally.
Usyk’s manager Alexander Krassyuk was hoping the elder Fury would apologize. “I didn’t see anything,” Fury reportedly said. “I was in the room doing interviews. But I’m not here for all that. I’m here to finish my work and go home and rest.”
The fight was originally scheduled for 23 December, but was later set for 17 February and rescheduled after Fury suffered a cut in sparring.