Oleksandr Usyk’s team have reportedly filed a complaint about the ring canvas that will be used for Saturday’s colossal showdown against Tyson Fury.
Fury and Usyk both worked out in a ring for the assembled media on Wednesday, which will be identical to the one used at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia for their undisputed heavyweight title fight.
According to Sky Sports News, the Ukrainian’s team believe the canvas could cause a potential trip hazard, despite it being the same canvas that was used during both his victories over Anthony Joshua.
Former world cruiserweight and heavyweight champion, David Haye arrived into Riyadh on Wednesday and has cited similarities to the situation when Fury’s team complained about the ring canvas prior to his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
“I remember when Tyson Fury was due to fight Wladimir Klitschko,” Haye told Box Nation.
“The ring canvas was super soft, which would have stopped Tyson moving.
“So, I definitely feel that the harder the canvas is, the firmer it is, the more that works in Usyk’s favour.
“If the ring canvas is soft, it stops you moving, it drains your legs.
“That would work in Tyson Fury’s favour, as Usyk’s going to need to move consistently back-and-forth on his legs to secure a victory here.”
Fight week has not been short of controversy, with Fury’s father John Fury head butting a member of Usyk’s team on Monday, as tensions spilled over with both fighters completing media duties.
The pair were supposed to fight on February 17, but ‘The Gypsy King’ suffered a cut in sparring, delaying the bout until Saturday.
His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, who is responsible for bringing fights to Saudi Arabia, confirmed this week that Fury and Usyk will rematch regardless of the result in October.
Fury and Usyk are bidding to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis achieved the feat in 1999 and the inaugural four-belt holder.
