Fury v Usyk: Frank Warren blasts 'scandalous' criticism over facial injury - 'Some kind of cult against him'

Promoter Frank Warren says he has "never heard anything like" the "scandalous" questions raised about the seriousness of Tyson Fury's eye injury.

The heavyweight picked up the problem in training for his unification clash with Oleksandr Usyk, which was due to take place on February 17 but has now been pushed back three months to May 18.

Queensbury Promotions described the issue as a "freak cut", which he sustained during sparring in Riyadh.

Some have since queried the legitimacy of the injury, much to the frustration of Warren.

"Tyson wants the fight," he told BBC Sport. "Some of the stuff that's been going out, I've never heard anything like it.

"Has Tyson got make-believe stitches in his eye? What they're saying is libellous and scandalous. It's like some kind of cult against him.

"He can't continue training as such. He can tick over. He can get on the bike and keep well but when you're training for a fight you're training to reach your ultimate best, your peak.

"Now he has to wind down and set everything back in motion to get himself up and ready and make sure he's at his best for May 18."

This is the second time the much-anticipated contest has been rearranged, with the original date in December falling through.

However, Usyk himself seems unconcerned about the fight being pushed back.

The 37-year-old, who revealed he missed the birth of his fourth child as he remained in a training camp for the bout, holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, while Fury is the WBC heavyweight title holder.

The winner will be the first undisputed champion in the division since Lennox Lewis in 2000, and the Ukrainian says the chance to claim a fourth belt means he remains as hungry as ever for the fight to happen.

"I didn't even have any irritation inside," he said. "No frustration.

"I don't judge anyone, no one at all. It happens, it's boxing. You need to take it seriously because we are on a different level with Tyson Fury. We must cross out all the little things in order to keep preparing to go to the ring.

"I just looked back at all the work I've done - getting up early, jogging, swimming, sparring, the amount of all it, and I thought to myself: 'Wow, that's some good work I did.'

"Then I thought of how much more training I will do and how much good work I will do.

"So when, with God's help, I will finish all this work, I'll be able to box three Tyson Furys.

"We can do it simultaneously or one by one on Saturday, Sunday, and then Monday."

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