Tyson Fury behaved 'professionally' in sparring after struggling a deep lower which noticed his battle with Oleksandr Usyk postponed, in line with Agron Smakici, who has spoken to Express Sport in regards to the incident since by chance touchdown his elbow on the Gypsy King.

Fury and Usyk's hotly-anticipated heavyweight contest was attributable to happen in Saudi Arabia on February 17, with the duo dealing with off to turn out to be undisputed champion. Fury holds the WBC title whereas Usyk boasts the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.

It due to this fact got here as a serious shock when the Gypsy King was lower throughout a sparring session final Friday, requiring 11 stitches and vital time to get better. Smakici described the stray elbow that caught Fury as a 'freak accident'.

Despite the inconvenience brought on, with Fury beforehand claiming to be in high form for the battle, the Brit refused in charge sparring associate Smakici for his function within the bout's postponement.

"He was very professional," Smakici informed Express Sport. "He wasn't blaming anyone. Obviously, he was shocked and devastated but he wasn't annoyed with me or anything like that."

Fury now faces a three-and-a-half-month wait earlier than contesting the primary undisputed heavyweight title battle since Lennox Lewis met Evander Holyfield 25 years in the past. Both fighters are underneath stress to stay to the rearranged May 18 battle date.

Turki Alalashikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's common leisure authority, claims that if Fury or Usyk attempt to reschedule once more, they should forfeit £9.3million to the opposite fighter. Usyk's supervisor Egis Klimas lately solid doubt over whether or not Fury's harm is official.

The Gypsy King delivered an emphatic response, telling MMA Hour: "Egis, never call me coward again. I’ve had 35 professional fights and have been boxing 18 years of my life. I've climbed off the canvas 10 times from the biggest punchers in history to win. Never a coward, never backed down from any man in my life."

Smakici, who has 20 wins and two defeats on his skilled CV, is eager to proceed sparring with Fury if he's welcomed again into the camp.

"I would like to come again and help him [Fury] spar because I gave him the best sparring rounds," he added. "I will even put on an elbow protector next time so that nothing can happen."