Tyson Fury's beard became a point of contention during a rules meeting for his upcoming heavyweight championship fight against Oleksandr Usyk. The meeting, which took place on Friday, saw Usyk's camp raise concerns about the length of Fury's facial hair.
Alex Krassyuk, Usyk's promoter, argued that Fury's beard should be trimmed. He claimed it could cushion blows and violates WBC rules.
"Beard rule is grossly violated. WBC rules clearly say: 'A boxer may spouse a trimmed beard and/or moustache as long as, in the discretion of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: (1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or (2) cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.' So, Tyson's beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further."
Boxing regulations typically require beards to be kept trim and of a certain length. The rules aim to prevent using stubble to scrape against cuts or inflict further damage during a fight.
Despite Krassyuk's objections, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman saw no issue with Fury's beard length. He stated:
"There's a regulation and the boxing commission inspected him and there is no issue. Mind games. These are the mind games for a big fight."
The decision ultimately fell in Fury's favor, with the British boxer not obligated to shave. Warren, a representative from Fury's camp, simply stated:
"He has a beard and there's been a lot of fighters over the years who've fought with beards, and that's it."
The rules meeting also involved a dispute over a replacement judge.
