Tyson Fury's beard has become the talk of the town ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. The two heavyweights will face off tonight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the WBC, WBO, and WBA titles.
Usyk's promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has raised concerns about Fury's facial hair. He claims it breaks the rules and could give Fury an unfair advantage. Krassyuk told Sky Sports:
"[The] 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."
The WBC has stepped in, saying no rules have been broken. They don't see Fury's beard as a problem for the fight.
Usyk himself doesn't seem bothered by the facial hair fuss. He told IFL TV, "For me it won't matter." The Ukrainian champion added, "It can't help Tyson Fury."
This isn't the first time Fury has sported a full beard in a big fight. He had similar facial hair when he rematched Deontay Wilder.
The beard drama adds another layer to an already tense build-up. The two camps have also been arguing about a replacement judge and clearing up rules about low blows.
Usyk and Fury last met in May, with Usyk winning on points to become the undisputed champion. Since then, he's had to give up the IBF belt. Now, they'll battle it out for the remaining three major titles.
With all the talk outside the ring, fans can't wait to see what happens when these two giants finally step between the ropes tonight.
