Usyk misses birth of child while training for binned Fury fight

World champion Oleksandr Usyk expressed his disappointment on Wednesday as he revealed that he missed the birth of his daughter while training for a highly anticipated heavyweight title unification bout against Tyson Fury. The fight, initially scheduled for December 23rd and then moved to February 17th, has now been rescheduled for May 18th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The showdown, dubbed the “Ring of Fire,” will see Fury defending his WBC heavyweight championship against Usyk, who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO belts, with the winner set to become the first unified heavyweight boxing champion since 1999.

Speaking at a press conference from his training camp on Spain’s eastern coast, Usyk shared the sacrifices he made in preparation for the bout, including missing important family milestones such as New Year, Christmas, his birthday, and even the birth of his daughter.

Expressing his frustration, Usyk urged Fury to take the fight more seriously, emphasizing the importance of the event for the boxing world. He highlighted the meticulous training methods employed by professional fighters to avoid injuries, questioning Fury’s approach to sparring and suggesting it could jeopardize the fight.

Usyk emphasized the need for precautions such as using headgear and larger gloves during sparring, as well as applying Vaseline to minimize the risk of cuts and injuries. He called for a greater level of respect towards everyone involved in the event and criticized any behavior that could undermine its significance.

In response to Usyk’s concerns, Fury claimed earlier in the week that he had never before suffered a cut in sparring for a major fight. As the anticipation builds for their long-awaited clash, both fighters continue to prepare for what promises to be an electrifying showdown in May.