WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has claimed Tyson Fury is 'fine' ahead of the 35-year-old's fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury and Usyk had been due to face off this weekend. However, their bout was pushed back by three months after the Briton suffered a gruesome cut to his eye in training.
There are currently fears the bout could be delayed once again following Fury's injury.
But Sulaiman, speaking to Boxing Social, insists that won't happen with Fury 'fine' and back in the gym as the showdown creeps closer.
Tyson Fury sustained a serious eye injury that caused his fight with Oleksandr Usyk to be pushed back
GETTY
“It’s boxing. It happens, and I’m sure it’s going to be an even bigger fight now," he said when quizzed on the injury.
"The frustration they both have to endure, so much sacrifice, so much patience, so much work put in, and then one cut and everything is delayed.
“But they’re back in the gym. I spoke to Tyson a couple of days ago.
"He’s fine, he’s ready to continue and it’s going to be one of the best events in the history of boxing on May 18.”
Usyk's camp have hit out at Fury, with Egis Klimas and promoter Alex Krassyuk both taking aim at the Gypsy King.
But Sulaiman believes the anger is only natural and says everything will be 'ok' when Fury and Usyk finally step into the ring.
“It’s only the heated state of mind," the boxing chief continued.
“So much is on the line.
"This is a fight that has not taken place in 25 years, it’s a fight that has tried to take place for the past five years – with making an undisputed heavyweight champion – now that it’s here, from one little moment [incident], it’s out.
"It’s the heat of the moment, it will be okay.”
Meanwhile, Agron Smakici has opened up after causing the fight between the two boxing heavyweights to be delayed.
Smakici was sparring with Fury and inflicted the eye injury after a prank from the Briton backfired.
And the 33-year-old has now provided more details about the injury, revealing Fury wasn't too fazed in the immediate aftermath.
“He did it but it was a joke and I didn’t take it seriously," Smakici told The Sun.
“I was not angry, because he was laughing, he is funny. He is a comedian.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Rory McIlroy given death stare by Genesis Invitational rival after breaking golf etiquette rules
- England captain Ben Stokes sends pointed message to critics after emphatic India defeat - 'Don't work out'
- Geri Halliwell 'being supported by all of the Spice Girls' amid probe into husband Christian Horner
Mauricio Sulaiman says Tyson Fury is 'fine' as Oleksandr Usyk fight creeps closer
GETTY
"Yes it made me a little more serious, it made me want to show him what I had.
“But it was a clean punch and the elbow was not on purpose, I was just trying to give him better rounds and to show him that I deserved respect.
“I got that respect in the sparring and afterwards he said ‘great sparring, accidents happening, everything before was great’.
"Crazy things like this happen in boxing.”
He added: "I felt the spar was too early. But Fury was motivated, he said he wanted 12 rounds, he did three with Thomas Carty and then I came in.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face off on May 18
GETTY
“He made jokes like ‘let’s go little sausage’ but he was very motivated, dancing in the ring and using his reach a lot.
"I got in and used my style, it was physical, we did some wrestling and good combinations.
“Then the cut happened because we were tired.
"I threw the left hook but my head was also going forward because he was pulling it, it was a bit like dirty boxing.”