FILE–World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title holder Britain’s Tyson Fury (R) is interviewed by his father former boxer John Fury (L) during the weigh-in at the Wembley Stadium, in London, on April 22, 2022 on the eve of his fight against Dillian Whyte. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
Tyson Fury’s father John was seen with blood gushing from his forehead on Monday after a video seemed to show him butting a member of Oleksandr Usyk’s camp in the build-up to Saturday’s undisputed world heavyweight clash in Riyadh.
The incident took place at the hotel hosting Monday’s pre-fight media day and was quickly broken up by security.
Footage shared on X appeared to show John Fury go eyeball-to-eyeball with a man wearing an Usyk team tracksuit before lashing out at him with his head.
READ: Usyk, Fury title fight rescheduled to May 18 in Saudi Arabia
The 59-year-old was later seen with a cut forehead and two streams of blood pouring down his face, either side of his nose.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterward, John Fury said: “They were disrespecting my son, the best ever heavyweight to wear a pair of boxing gloves.
“Coming out with all that rubbish, in my face, trying to be clever.
“Coming into my space, ‘Usyk, Usyk’, nobody is bothering with them, I was only chanting my own son’s name.
“So they stepped closer and stepped closer and at the end of it I am a warrior, that is what we do.
“If you come in the space, you are going to get what is coming.”
His son, Tyson Fury, was not present when the incident occurred.
“I didn’t see anything, I was in the room doing interviews, but I’m not here for all that, I’m here to get the job done and go home and rest,” said the World Boxing Council heavyweight titleholder.
READ: Fury postpones unification fight with Usyk after ‘freak cut’
Saudi authorities said that no charges have been filed regarding the incident at present.
But Alexander Krassyuk, the promoter of Tyson Fury’s Ukrainian opponent Usyk, told Sky that John Fury should apologize for his actions.
“It would be nice if we hear some apologies from John because it was his behavior,” said Krassyuk.
“We are the example for the world, the whole world is watching us and new generations, kids, are taking us as examples.
“What will they see from this? What will they make of this?
“Of course there is going to be some rush on the internet but it is up to him if he wants to apologize, it is up to him.”
Fury and Usyk face off in the Saudi capital on Saturday with the winner able to become the first unified champion of boxing’s four-belt era.