The boxer who cut Tyson Fury’s eye that caused his upcoming heavyweight unification title fight against Oleksandr Usyk to be postponed has defiantly responded.
Fury and Usyk were set to meet in Saudi Arabia for a first heavyweight unification bout in 25 years on February 17 before the Englishman was cut above his right-eye in a sparring session.
The fallout from the training camp injury has seen Fury require 15 stitches and he has since hit back in a furious online video exchange with Usyk and his manager.
Promoter Frank Warren has explained that the 35-year-old was caught with an elbow that caused the skin just above his eye to split open, however, Croatian MMA fighter Argon Smakici – who was sparring with Fury when the accident happened – has stated that isn’t what happened, as reported by Boxing Talk.
‘It was a clear punch so I don’t feel bad,’ he said over a text exchange.
A Croatian boxer responsible for cutting Tyson Fury’s eye that caused his upcoming fight with Oleksandr Usyk has responded
Croatian MMA fighter Argon Smakici (left) was sparring with Fury when the injury happened
‘Fury says a lot of things but he knows how the sparring was with me.’
A new date for the fight to take place in Riyadh of May 18 has been touted and Fury’s camp have insisted that the clash will eventually go ahead once his injury has healed.
Grainy footage posted online claims to show the decisive hit the Gypsy King took which bust his eye open, with Warren explaining that a stray elbow was to blame for the severe cut.
Explaining the circumstances surrounded the injury, Warren said: ‘It happened [Friday morning] in sparring with a Croatian heavyweight who caught his eye with his elbow.
‘I can’t tell you how gutted everybody is and I obviously feel for Tyson, I feel for Usyk and I feel sorry for His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and everyone who works at the Riyadh Season because this is an event that we all worked hard to make happen and unfortunately it’s going to be postponed now.’
Fury and Usyk share the belts of the heavyweight division, with the Ukrainian previously beating England’s Anthony Joshua to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO straps.
Fury sustained a nasty laceration above his right eye which has postponed his next fight
Fury’s upcoming heavyweight unification fight against Usyk has been postponed
Meanwhile, Fury holds the WBC belt after beating former American champion Deontay Wilder.
An apologetic Fury said after news of his injury came to light: ‘I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight so long and being in such superb condition.
‘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.’