Oleksandr Usyk insider fears Tyson Fury will withdraw from fight again and reveals doubt over video

Oleksandr Usyk insider fears Tyson Fury will withdraw from fight again and reveals doubt over video

WATCH NOW: Tyson Fury press conference ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 22/04/2024

- 09:02

Both men are due to meet in the ring next month

Oleksandr Usyk's promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, fears Tyson Fury will withdraw from their fight again - despite the bout being due to take place in less than a month.

Both men are currently preparing for one of the biggest fights of the 21st century.


There are eight belts on the line, with both Fury and Usyk undefeated in their careers so far - which only adds to the intrigue.

The showdown has already been the subject of several delays so far.

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Boxing news: Tyson Fury is just a few weeks away from fighting Oleksandr Usyk

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And Krassyuk, speaking to BoxingScene, has admitted he's not entirely convinced the fight will take place.

"Usyk has actually had a triple camp for this fight,” Krassyuk said.

“He started in September for the fight to take place last December.

"We showed up to the Ngannou fight to step in the ring to announce the fight for the undisputed, but his team jumped and said he didn’t look that good, so Usyk gave him some space to prepare at his camp in Saudi Arabia.

"We were then meant to fight on Feb 17, then we were rescheduled for May.

"Tyson Fury has withdrawn four times already from this fight.

"Remember that we were looking to fight last April; he pulled out of it then, too.

"That’s why we fought Daniel Dubois. This will be the fourth camp we have had for Tyson Fury.

“I’ve not got too much confidence in the rematch happening, by the way. If Tyson Fury loses, will he have the confidence to step inside the ring again?

"Theoretically he can, but we all know what happened in the rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.”

Krassyuk then revealed that, if Fury does pull out, Filip Hrgovic will replace the Gypsy King on May 18.

"That’s why we worked out this Lapin Rule,” Krassyuk added.

“Sergey Lapin is Usyk’s coach, which means that Tyson Fury will have to pay a £10 million [pound] fine if he withdraws.

"This was made to avoid the fifth withdrawal. Let's just pray he puts on his headgear when he spars – not like last time, when he was cut in sparring."

And the Ukrainian also expressed a belief that video footage of Fury getting his eye cut wasn't legitimate, too.

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Boxing news: Alexander Krassyuk fears Oleksandr Usyk's fight with Tyson Fury will be subject to yet another withdrawal

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"The cut was real, but the video – I don’t trust it," he admitted.

"I think Tyson Fury didn’t wear headgear and got cut, but this is my opinion. I have no proof. It’s my hunch.

“The IBF mandatory Filip Hrgovic will be the replacement if [Fury] does it again.

"He is getting ready for Daniel Dubois on June 1, but instead he will have to be ready on May 18 to replace Tyson for any reason.

"Otherwise we will lose the [IBF] title. It was one of our conditions.

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Boxing news: Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will go to war on May 18

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"The game is about being undisputed. It’s not about money – it’s about heritage, about glory.

"Tyson Fury says he doesn’t care about that, but at the press conference he was saying, ‘Wow, the IBF, the WBO, the WBC, the WBA, the Ring Magazine, the undisputed, the lineal,’ which I’ve never heard of."

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