Oleksandr Usyk has revealed that his wife, Yekaterina, was pleased that his undisputed heavyweight fight with Tyson Fury was postponed.
Usyk and Fury were due to meet on February 17 for all four heavyweight belts in Saudi Arabia, but the clash was delayed after Fury suffered a cut in sparring last week.
It has now been rescheduled for May 18, with both fighters agreeing to cough up £8m if they pull out. The three-month delay has left boxing fans frustrated, but Usyk claimed his wife saw things very differently, as she was going to miss the initial fight date due to only giving birth to their fourth child last month.
‘My wife was happy when she heard the news,’ Usyk told The Sun when asked about Yekaterina’s immediate reaction.
‘Maria was born on January 28 and the fight was going to be [on] February 17. So it was going to be too soon for her to leave the baby and travel.
Oleksandr Usyk has revealed his wife, Yekaterina (left), was happy his fight with Tyson Fury was postponed
She would not have been able to travel for the original fight date after giving birth last month
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The fight was postponed last week after Fury suffered a cut in sparring, and Yekaterina will now be able to attend the mouthwatering clash on May 18
‘Now she knows, with the new delays, that she will be able to come to the May 18 new date.’
Usyk and Yekaterina now have two sons and two daughters, and the Ukrainian heavyweight was at the birth for his first three children, but was not at his wife’s side for her latest labour as he was in training camp to face Fury.
He has apologised for not being present on this occasion, but is now set to head back to Ukraine to spend time with his wife and new-born baby before getting back into the gym to get ready for the Gypsy King.
‘That was the first birth I have missed. I should have been with my wife, I should have been there with her,’ he admitted.
‘I want to come home to hug my daughter and thank my wife. Then I will return to training.’
Usyk missing the birth of his daughter highlights the sacrifices he has made as he aims to prove himself as the best heavyweight on the planet.
Fury’s late pull-out could have angered Usyk given the circumstances, but he has insisted he still has a lot of ‘love’ for Fury.
Usyk told Sky Sports: ‘Of course, more (love for Fury). Why? Because it’s the man who has my fourth belt. It’s the man who helped me become famous a lot.
Usyk has insisted he still has a lot of ‘love’ for Fury, despite missing the birth of his fourth child to train for a fight with the Gypsy King, only for it to be postponed
‘Because we, all people, must love friends, [people who are] not friends, acquaintances, all people. It’s great when you are polite, not dirty.’
‘I didn’t even have any irritation inside. No frustration (that the fight was postponed).
‘I just looked back at all the work I’ve done – getting up early, jogging, swimming, sparring, the amount of all it, and I thought to myself: “Wow, that’s some good work I did”.
‘Then I thought of how much more training I will do and how much good work I will do. So when, with God’s help, I will finish all this work, I’ll be able to box three Tyson Furys.’