Oleksandr Usyk’s team have accused Tyson Fury of breaking a boxing rule ahead of fight night – and they could have a point.
Usyk, 37, and Fury, 36, will go toe-to-toe at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday evening, with Fury hoping to avenge his previous defeat sustained against the Ukrainian during their first bout back in May.
On that occasion, Fury looked in control for the first six or seven rounds of the scheduled 12, but Usyk stepped up the pace in the second half of the fight and even caused referee Mark Nelson to issue Fury a standing count.
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Fury fell backwards onto the ring ropes after being caught with a barrage of punches in round nine.
The ‘Gypsy King’ recovered, but Usyk controlled the rest of the contest and was awarded a majority decision points victory crowning him the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis over two decades ago.
The Manchester-born heavyweight weighed in at the glamorous Wonder Garden on Friday and registered a career-heaviest weight of 20st 1lb, with Usyk at 16st 2lb – also his highest weight as a pro.
The event was subdued, a far cry from the pair's antics the day before, when they faced off for over 11 minutes.
But in typical Fury fashion, what he did on the scales still caught viewers' attention.
The Morcambe-based fighter appeared to weigh in wearing several layers of clothing, which could’ve influenced his weight.
Usyk also stepped on the scales in his purple tracksuit with a necklace hanging from his neck, likely to have registered a slightly higher weight than he really was.
Although unusual, staying clothed is at the discretion of the fighters.
But it was another facet of Fury’s appearance that has caused controversy.
Fury has sported a thick beard all week, with Usyk’s team demanding he shave it ahead of Saturday’s bout, according to GiveMeSport.
The reason for the complaints from Team Usyk is that such a thick beard would cushion the force of their fighter’s punches, which, in turn, would prove beneficial for Fury.
Alex Krassyuk, Usyk’s promotor, gave his thoughts on the situation when speaking to Sky Sports.
“Beard rule is grossly violated," he said.
"WBC rules clearly say: 'A boxer may spouse a trimmed beard and/or moustache as long as, in the discretion of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: (1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or (2) cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.’
"So, Tyson's beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further."
How to watch Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
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To watch Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk go head to head, there are three options:
1.) You can watch the rematch on DAZN with no subscription required. All you need to do is buy the PPV for £24.99 and you will automatically get a seven-day free trial which you can later cancel to stop the subscription from rolling over. You’ll be able to stream the match on a range of devices including PlayStation, Chromecast, and Smart TV. If you do decide to roll over your free trial, you’ll move onto a monthly plan costing £24.99 per month and get access to over 150 fights every year, with the option to cancel with 30 days’ notice.
2.) You can also tune in live on Sky Sports Box Office (Sky channel 491). The event is priced at £24.95 for Sky customers in the UK and $27.95 if you’re based in the Republic of Ireland. Sadly Sky does not offer free trials, but Sky subscribers can book the match here and if you’re new to Sky, you can sign up here.
3.) Finally, you can watch the fight on TNT Sports with a Prime Video subscription (free for the first month then £8.99/ month), provided you have discovery+ (from £3.99/ month) as part of your subscription. If you don't fancy shelling out, you can simply cancel your subscription after the first month.
Topics: Boxing, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Saudi Arabia
Luke Davies