OLEKSANDR USYK’S team added security fears to a list of twists and turns ahead of Saturday’s mega showdown with Tyson Fury.
The Ukrainian team reportedly filed a complaint that the stitching on the ring canvas in Saudi Arabia could pose a tripping hazard.
3
Sky Sports Boxing claims its team registered tissue concerns 48 hours before the first undisputed heavyweight title fight since 1999.
In the same Riyadh venue three years ago – on the night Usyk won his second victory over Anthony Joshua – Filip Hrgovic and Zhilei Zhang slipped on the mat while talking to the referee.
The on-screen controversy continues a dramatic escalation for what Fury calls “the fight for the ages” – a fight worth far more than £100 million in total.
The Gypsy King, 35, pulled out of a live interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday due to his training schedule.
But that’s nothing compared to what happened before, as boxing’s undefeated giants prepared to collide in the Middle East.
Fight week began with Tyson’s father, John, headbutting a member of Usyk’s team.
Fury Junior and his 37-year-old opponent took to the ring for public training on Wednesday.
Usyk tried some mind games by switching from his typical orthodox stance to southpaw.
BEST UK BOOKMAKER FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERSs
But Fury had a trick of his own, as the Brit also boxed the southpaw in his own routine.
The Gypsy King said: “This is the fight of all times, nothing compares to this.
“Not a show fight, not a crossover fight, not boxing on YouTube, nothing.
“It’s two undefeated world heavyweight championships colliding for all the belts and that hasn’t happened in forever.”
And in an interview with Sky, Fury added: “We both cannot be destined to be undisputed in this era and we will not be young enough to enter another undisputed era.
“So it’s D-Day for both fighters.”
It’s unclear how much of an extraordinary amount each icon will raise from their long-awaited and long-postponed reunion.
But Fury’s North American promoter Bob Arum has a surprising opinion about the sums involved for his man alone.
Arum said: “If you told Tyson Fury he was going to make $100m[£78m]he would be really upset because he thinks he’s right that he’s going to make a lot more[£78m]he would really be upset because he thinks and I think he’s right that he’s going to make a lot more[£78milhões)eleficariarealmentechateadoporquepensaeachoqueeleestácertoquevaiganharmuitomais[£78m)hewouldreallybeupsetbecausehethinksandIthinkhe’srightthathe’sgoingtomakealotmore
“I don’t know the value, but it’s much more than $100 million.”
3
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
