Horvat Smakichi outlined in detail his version of how Tyson received a cut
Sparring partner of the WBC champion belt holder Tyson Fury Agron Smakichi (20-2, 18 KO), the unwitting culprit in postponing the British fight for the title of absolute heavyweight champion with the world champion according to WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO Alexander Usikspoke in detail about the incident that led to the dissection of the “Gypsy King”.
“Unfortunately, this seems like bad news because I ruined the biggest fight, but it wasn’t on purpose. It was a blow. I threw the punch. I felt like I was throwing a punch, but he pulled my head forward and I may have hit him with my elbow. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I spent two weeks in Fury’s camp. We had three or four sparring sessions of 3-4 rounds. He constantly changed sparring partners. I asked SugarHill Steward how I should spar. He told me to box as I see fit. Therefore, I tried to move a lot, like Usyk, to dodge punches, and hit the body. I wrestled professionally, so I’m good at it.”
“I think everything was great. Fury was very good. I can’t say that he was out of shape, as some people write,” Smakichi concluded.
Agron is a 33-year-old Croatian of Kosovo origin, a left-hander with a height of 198 centimeters, who has been playing professionally since 2011. During his career, he crossed paths with Ukrainian boxers twice. In 2017, Smakichi knocked out Alexei Mazikin in the first round, and in 2019, Maxim Pedura. In the summer of 2022, Agron was at the training camp of another of Usik’s opponents, Anthony Joshua, helping the Briton prepare for a rematch with Alexander.
In January 2023, Smakichi joined Fury’s training camp. On the evening of February 2, promoter Frank Warren reported Tyson’s “terrible injury”: “It happened this morning during a sparring with the Croatian heavyweight, who hit him in the eye with an elbow.”
The Briton’s injury required stitches, due to which Tyson did not have time to recover for the fight with Usik. According to British cutman Jorge Capetillo, the boxer will need at least three months to recover. After this, the chairman of the General Authority of Saudi Arabian Entertainment, Turki Al al-Sheikh, announced that the boxing evening on February 17 in Riyadh has been canceled and purchased tickets will be refunded.
Soon, the unification fight for the title of absolute world champion in heavyweight received a new date – Fury and Usyk should meet in the ring on May 18. The event, as before, will be hosted by the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.
Penalties for boxers who refuse to fight are $10 million. At the same time, the contract for the fight between the Ukrainian and the British has a rematch clause.
Source: Sportarena
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