The much-anticipated heavyweight title bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh has been postponed after the British fighter suffered a serious cut during training.
WBC title holder Fury was due to take on WBO, WBA and IBF champion Usyk in Saudi Arabia in the 'Ring of Fire' fight on February 17, with the winner becoming the first unified heavyweight boxing champion since 1999 when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield.
But Fury suffered a “freak cut” at his training camp in Saudi Arabia on Friday which needed “urgent medical attention and significant stitching”, Queensberry Promotions revealed in a statement.
Quensberry promoter Frank Warren added that Fury had been sparring with a Croatian heavyweight whose elbow caught Fury over the eye. Reports suggest the fighter in question to be southpaw Agron Smakici.
“I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such a superb condition,” said Fury, whose record stands at 34 wins from 35 fights, with one draw.
“I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed.
“I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Fury added on Instagram: “Can't help getting injured in sparring but what I can say was Usyk was in trouble. I am in fantastic shape. I will reschedule as soon as I can.”
The Ukrainian's camp expressed scepticism about the news with Usyk's manager Egis Klimas telling Sky Sports that Fury “will do anything to not face Usyk” and suggested that maybe the Briton was “hit by a frying pan which he asked for”.
His promoter, Alex Krassyuk, replied to the Instagram post by Fury with the comment: “Wish you soonest recovery. God sent you a sign. Think of retirement, brother.”
Warren, though told talkSPORT radio that the fight would definitely happen once Fury had recovered.
“It’s the fight that everybody wanted and because of the Riyadh Season, His Excellency [Saudi entertainment head Turki Alalshikh] and all his team, that’s why the fight is happening and nothing is going to impair it or stop it going on,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate where we are but we will make sure that it will occur because it’s the fight that everybody wants to see.”
A Queensberry Promotions spokesperson added: “Whilst this is still breaking news it is clearly a massive disappointment, after the work that has been done by so many people to finally deliver the historic event to the world.
“Once the doctors have appraised Tyson's eye, we will have a better idea of the period of recovery needed.
“Once known we will work diligently with all the stakeholders and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reschedule the fight as soon as possible and will of course keep everyone updated with developments.”
IBF mandatory challenger Croatian Filip Hrgovic has already thrown his hat in the ring to replace Fury for the February event. “Now that Fury [is] injured, I'm ready to step in and fight Usyk,” the 31-year-old told ESPN. “Let's go Usyk, you owe me my mandatory shot. It's time to finally face me.”
It would have been 35-year-old Fury's first fight since suffering a huge scare against mixed martial arts fighter Francis Ngannou in October, only emerging victorious in Riyadh thanks to split decision verdict.
Usyk, who has won all 21 of his fights, has held his three belts since defeating Anthony Joshua in 2021, with the 37-year-old's last win – in August against Daniel Dubois in Poland – also coming in controversial fashion.
The British fighter felt he had been “cheated” out of victory after referee Luis Pabon ruled he had struck Usyk with a low blow in the fifth round, which led to a lengthy delay. Usyk was given almost four minutes to recover before going on to knockout Dubois in the ninth.
The Fury-Usyk delay has also thrown a spanner in the works for Joshua's plans to regain the heavyweight title belts.
The Briton was hoping to take on the winner of the bout if he comes through unscathed in his fight against Ngannou in Riyadh on March 8.
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