Home Boxing News Tensions boil over at Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk media day, scuffle...

Tensions boil over at Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk media day, scuffle erupts between teams

John Fury, father of Tyson Fury. Photo credit: X

WBC, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Okesandr Usyk 21-0 (14) has refused to be distracted by the antics of Team Fury ahead of his bout against WBC beltholder Tyson Fury 34-0-1 (24) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

The two sides clashed at a media day with Fury’s father John taking issue with the Usyk camp chanting the 37-year-old Ukrainian southpaw’s name.

John got in the face of Stanislav Stepchuk from Team Usyk and began shouting before appearing to headbutt the younger man. When he turned to walk away, John had blood streaming down his face.

John, 59, explained what happened to Sky Sports: “They were disrespecting my son, the best ever heavyweight to wear a pair of boxing gloves.

“Coming out with all that rubbish, in my face, trying to be clever.

“Coming into my space, ‘Usyk, Usyk’, nobody is bothering with them, I was only chanting my own son’s name.

“So they stepped closer and stepped closer and at the end of it I am a warrior, that is what we do.

“If you come in the space, you are going to get what is coming.”

Britain’s Fury, 35, was in another room conducting an interview when the altercation happened.

“I didn’t see anything, I was in the room doing interviews, but I’m not here for all that, I’m here to get the job done and go home and rest,” Fury said.

“They do what they do, I’ve definitely seen worse than a cut on the head.”

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk simply laughed at the shenanigans.

“Crazy day, crazy week. For me, it doesn’t matter because my focus is on the fight. Bad behaviour from Fury team and Fury’s father, it’s only a problem for Fury’s team,” he told The Stomping Ground.

“I think Tyson has bipolar. One week Tyson says [I’m a] rabbit, bad guy, light-heavyweight. Next week, good boxer and a lot of good words for me. I don’t think about, my focus is only on the fight.

“I don’t have a prediction because I’m not an expert, I’m only an athlete. My prediction… beautiful fight… beautiful win. Oleksandr ‘The Cat’ Usyk. Undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”

Stepchuk has given his version of events.

“I was just supporting my team and shouting Usyk,” he said. “I didn’t touch him [John], he just exposed his mind and went crazy.

“If he gets mad only from shouting Usyk’s name, what will happen in five days? He thinks there isn’t respect because of shouting Usyk’s name, so maybe he is a little bit crazy.

“For his sake, don’t watch the actual fight because he could have a heart attack and finish in an ambulance.”

Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk told Sky Sports that he thinks John Fury should apologise for the fracas.

“It would be nice if we hear some apologies from John because it was his behaviour,” said Krassyuk.

“We are the example for the world, the whole world is watching us and new generations, kids, are taking us as examples.

“Of course there is going to be some rush on the internet but it is up to him if he wants to apologise, it is up to him.”