Tyson Fury has been warned that he faces a substantial financial penalty if he delays the undisputed Oleksandr Usyk fight for a third time.
Fury was initially due to face Usyk for the WBC, WBO, IBF, and WBA titles on December 23. However, Francis Ngannou dropped Fury in their warm-up fight, leading to “The Gypsy King” asking for more time.
Saudi Arabian Chairman Turki Alalshikh agreed to push back the fight to February 17. Fury was then cut in sparring with just two weeks left until the battle.
Alalshikh again allowed Fury a further three months of recovery. Fury vs Usyk’ Ring of Fire’ will now occur on May 18. But when alongside Fury in an interview with MMA Fighting on Friday, Alalshikh made it clear to Fury that he won’t give grace for another pull-out.
Including Usyk in his message despite the Ukrainian never putting the fight off, it was clear Fury was the one on notice.
Tyson Fury warned over Usyk pull-out
“I guarantee both fighters ten million [penalty] if someone escapes from the fight. This is the first thing,” Alalshikh told Ariel Helwani in broken English. “The second thing is I guarantee a big fight on the same night we will have another one [a big fight].
“Make people worldwide know if someone is scared and wants to escape from this fight. On May 18, we will have Tyson vs Usyk.”
He continued by mistaking the word ‘scared’ for pulling out, even with a bemused Fury sitting beside him.
If Usyk is scared [pulling out], I will call for Joshua vs Tyson. If Tyson is scared, I will call for any fighter that Usyk wants. This is in my name. We have a guarantee from both sides, and they know it now.
“On May 18, we will have the answer whether someone is a coward. We can deliver the fight. I chose the date, and it is May 18. We have delayed it until May 18.”
Eleven stitches
Fury then clarified the cut, visible on the video transmission, was due to an elbow.
“Yesterday morning, sparring arranged to spar twelve rounds with four different guys. In round five, I got an elbow in the eye. I’ve been to the hospital and got eleven stitches. There’s nothing much anything can do about cut in sparring. It happens. I was very disappointed. I’d been in Saudi Arabia for five weeks of training, and everything was going fantastic.
“It’s a cut that you can’t help. These things happen in camp sometimes.”
On social media, Fury fired his blast at Usyk with three and a half months until fight night.
“I can’t wait to smash the rabbit. I have massive respect for my brother, Turki Alalshikh. It’s the biggest fight of the century. It’s always about the Gypsy King. Tyson Fury rolls on.”
