Frank Warren has continued defending Tyson Fury following his withdrawal from his undisputed heavyweight world title fight with Oleksandr Usyk, scheduled for February 17, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fury was forced to pull-out of the contest after sustaining a cut over his right eye during a sparring session in preparation for the Usyk fight.
Usyk’s team, particularly his manager Egis Klimas, were enraged.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Warren defended Fury – whom Klimas dubbed a “coward” – as not being one because of his fights with Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder on foreign turf.
“This is the fella that went to Germany to fight [Klitschko] for the world title and beat him,” Warren said.“This is the guy [Fury] that went out [to America] to fight a guy that was undefeated in Deontay Wilder – six years reigning as heavyweight champion. The hardest punching heavyweight recorded, and went out not once but fought three times out there.
“Do me a favour, it’s pathetic, and professional fighters should know better.”
Former unified super-middleweight world champion Car Froch has also been critical of Fury following the postponement of the undisputed heavyweight spectacular, which will now be held on May 18 in Riyadh.
Despite the newly arranged date, Froch has commented that he is doubtful Fury is keen to face Usykk.
“He will be ready for that, and it’ll take its course,” Warren said, of Fury-Usyk. “And it’ll heal. It’s nothing unusual in boxing for fights to be postponed.
“In sparring, you’re actually punching each other so that you will pick up injuries. Unfortunately, it happened with Tyson.”
