What Are Usyk and Fury's Teams Arguing About Before the Fight?

On December 21 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the highly anticipated rematch between WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) and former champion Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) will take place.

With the stakes incredibly high, it’s no surprise that tensions have risen between the two camps. Tyson Fury’s promoter and head of Queensberry Promotions, Frank Warren, shed light on some of the disputes leading up to the fight.

Judges

"One of the three approved judges fell ill. There are two alternates, both en route, and we need to decide which one will officiate.

We want one, and the other camp wants the other, so I suggested flipping a coin. This issue will be resolved. It just takes a bit of common sense, and thankfully, both camps are highly professional and know what needs to be done."

Fury’s Beard

"He has a beard, and over the years, there’ve been plenty of fighters who’ve entered the ring with beards. That’s all there is to it," Warren said, addressing concerns raised by Usyk’s team about whether Tyson’s beard might soften the impact of punches.

Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, cited WBC regulations and appealed to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman: "We all have to follow the rules, don’t we?"

Low Blows

Fury’s team demanded that any punches landing below the navel be classified as low blows, regardless of the positioning of the waistband or protective gear.

"This is about clarifying what counts as a low blow. Punches below the navel are low blows, but many fighters wear their shorts higher, which sometimes leads to confusion, as we saw in Usyk’s fight with Daniel Dubois.

That situation caused issues, and neither side wants a repeat. The referee has made it clear—unlike in the previous fight, where there were no instructions given in the fighters' dressing rooms—what constitutes a low blow. Now, everyone is on the same page," Warren explained.

The Cross

During the first fight, Usyk kissed a cross in his corner before delivering an inspired performance. Fury’s team now wants to eliminate "foreign objects" from the corners to avoid any speculation.

"After the fight, there were a lot of rumors. People weren’t sure what it was. We just resolved this issue. If anything other than water touches the fighter's lips, the inspector will confiscate it, check it, and address any concerns if necessary," said Warren.