Oleksandr Usyk has accused John Fury of ‘hooligan’ antics after he headbutted a member of the Ukrainian’s entourage.
Fury Snr sparked controversy when he headbutted a young member of Usyk’s camp in the Riyadh Hilton Hotel lobby on Tuesday, coming away with a bloodied face.
His son Tyson Fury meets Usyk on Saturday as the two battle to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.
Fans have called for Fury Snr to be ‘banned’ from attending the unification bout. Usyk was disapproving in his assessment of the 59-year-old’s behaviour.
‘Father Fury punched (headbutted) my friends, my team. It’s bad behaviour, for me,’ he told DAZN Boxing.
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Oleksandr Usyk has accused John Fury of ‘dirty’, ‘hooligan’ behaviour for headbutting a member of his entourage
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John Fury (pictured) was left bloodied after an altercation with a member of Usyk’s team
John Fury puts himself head-to-head with Usyk’s team
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Oleksandr Usyk reveals his brutal training regime fighting 40 strangers over 250 rounds ahead of Tyson Fury fight, and breaks down in tears over his dying father’s inspirational final words as he invites Mail Sport into his inner sanctum
‘We are professional athletes but we’re not street fighters. We’re not hooligans.
‘Listen, your team-mates, you’re world champion, but you’re very famous. People watch with me, with you.’
‘I think it’s bad because, because, yeah, it’s a show, but this is a bad show. It’s a dirty show.’
Members of Usyk’s posse had been chanting their champion’s name before Fury Snr unleashed his rage.
Others quickly flooded into the area to separate those at the heart of the confrontation and stop any more violence from breaking out. It is yet to be seen if Saudi Arabian police will take any action.
When Fury Snr stepped away, blood was flowing from his forehead. No further fights broke out.
‘Tyson Fury missed the action because he was giving an interview in a side room, but he seemed unfzed when asked about it.
‘It is what it is. Not interested. Doesn’t affect anything. I’ve seen a lot worse,’ he said.
Fury served three years in prison for assault in England after gouging a man’s eye in a brawl.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk make their grand arrivals in Riyadh
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Video footage caught a clash of heads between the two before blood was left sheeting down Fury’s head
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Tyson (left) later emerged and questioned how his dad had managed to cut his head
Who would you put your money on?
He has made a habit for attempting to cause chaos in the build-up to big fights involving his family of fighters but has taken things to a new level with his latest violent demonstration.
Boxing supporters are furious with the actions of Fury Snr and have called for fight organisers to discipline him severely.
Posting on X, one boxing fan said: ‘Ban him from attending the fight.’
Another similarly shocked viewer commented: ‘Why does John Fury have to make it about him don’t think I’ve ever seen any other boxers dad so crave the limelight, embarrassing.’
Others described Fury Snr as an ‘absolute clown’ for his headbutt, while a different online post read: ‘He bopped the smallest guy. That tells you all you need to know about John Fury.’
The moment John Fury headbutts a member of Usyk’s team
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Fury and Usyk will face off against one another for the right to be called the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
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Fury Snr continued to chant ‘Fury!’ before shaking hands with a member of Usyk’s team and making peace
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Mail Sport were granted exclusive access to the Ukrainian fighter’s pre-bout training camp
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The 37-year-old alongside his speedball, with the words ‘weakness leaving your body’ that are visible on the wooden frame. ‘Undisputed’, ‘the ring’ and ‘Ukraine’ can also be made out
Fury Snr later attempted to explain his actions, telling IFLTV: ‘I’m going to stand up for my son. At the end of the day, my son is the best in the world and I want people to respect him and give him the credit that he deserves.
‘He’s the best in the world. And when people start saying this and saying that… when I was among them, all I could hear was madness. Some little idiot came forward in my space, he got what he got and that’s the end of it.’
