Tyson Fury BLANKS Oleksandr Usyk in face off snub as row breaks out over ring

Tyson Fury opted out of a face-off with Oleksandr Usyk amidst a disagreement over the ring conditions for their impending undisputed heavyweight world title bout set to take place in Saudi Arabia. The highly anticipated showdown aims to crown the first-ever four-belt champion in the division. However, tensions flared as Fury, accompanied by a legion of British fans, chose to divert his attention elsewhere rather than engage directly with his opponent during their penultimate meeting.

While Usyk exuded composure, Fury refrained from making eye contact and instead focused on the audience. At the final press conference, Usyk delivered a poetic recital, whereas Fury kept it succinct, choosing not to field questions. “I’m going to make this short and simple,” Fury declared. “I’m ready for a fight, whether it’s tough or easy, I’ll be ready. God Bless Usyk, I’ll say a prayer for him that we both go home to our families in one piece because that’s what it’s all about,” he added, as reported by the Mirror.

Earlier, concerns arose from Usyk’s camp regarding the boxing ring’s canvas, particularly the seams, which they feared could pose a tripping hazard. Both fighters had trained in the ring, with Usyk even playfully switching stances, igniting psychological warfare. Despite this, Usyk’s team’s concerns regarding the canvas remained unresolved.

While Usyk didn’t directly address the canvas issue, he expressed his anticipation for the upcoming bout, stating, “I’m excited and I’m grateful for this fight to be happening. Let’s make history. Tyson, let your hands talk in the ring.” Usyk also hinted at Fury’s possible nervousness, noting his opponent’s noticeably slimmer physique. However, Fury dismissed any speculations about being at a career-low weight for the fight, stating, “I’ll tell you my weight, it’s about 19-stone. I wish I was [240/250lb] but I’m around 19-stone. I’ve been in good shape, I’ve had two or three camps back to back.”

Despite Fury’s assertion of being in good form, some fans were less impressed with his physique, urging him to ‘lose the love handles’. Nonetheless, Fury will still hold a significant size advantage over Usyk, who has consistently weighed in around 220lb for all his heavyweight fights since transitioning from cruiserweight.