Tyson Fury has mentioned he’s “absolutely devastated” after a “freak” sparring damage compelled him to postpone his combat towards Oleksandr Usyk, the winner of which will likely be topped undisputed heavyweight champion.
The British boxer, the WBC champion, was scheduled to fulfill his Ukrainian opponent, who holds the WBO, WBA and IBF belts, in Riyadh, later this month.
Fight promoters, Queensberry Promotions, printed an image of Fury exhibiting a reduce over his proper eye.
On X, TalkSPORT boxing editor, Michael Benson, posted what was mentioned to be “leaked” footage of the incident, wherein Fury is hit by his sparring accomplice and promptly walks away, touching the fitting aspect of his head.
Queensberry mentioned in an announcement {that a} “freak cut” requiring “urgent medical attention and significant stitching” opened up above Fury’s proper eye throughout a sparring session at his coaching camp in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Fury mentioned in the identical assertion: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such a superb condition.
“I really feel dangerous for everybody concerned on this big occasion and I’ll work diligently in the direction of the rescheduled date as soon as the attention has healed.
“I can only apologise to everyone affected.”
He mentioned on Instagram, alongside a selfie: “Can’t help getting injured in sparring but what I can say was Usyk was in trouble. I am in fantastic shape.”
Fury sustained the reduce throughout a sparring session with Croatian southpaw Agron Smakici, Sky Sports understands.
He had beforehand suffered a gaping reduce round his proper eye following a bloody factors win over Otto Wallin in September 2019.
A Queensberry Promotions spokesperson mentioned on X: “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.
The aim, Queensberry said, is to “reschedule the combat as quickly as attainable”.
The winner of the bout stood to turn out to be the primary undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 1999 and the primary within the four-belt period.
Source: information.sky.com”