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Tyson Fury Reacts To Usyk’s Team Saying He Should Be Stripped Of WBC Belt

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 10th July 2023.

Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury has responded to the opinion he should be stripped of his world title due to inactivity – most recently articulated by Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk.

Krassyuk spoke to Seconds Out recently and said that, should a rumoured crossover bout with MMA star, Francis Ngannou, materialise, it was right that ‘The Gypsy King’ lost his WBC belt.

The two teams have been involved in a tense back and forth ever since they failed to come to terms for Fury and Usyk to have an undisputed bout.

There is no love lost, as evidenced by Fury taking to Instagram to respond to Krassyuk.

“Hey guys, a little bit of clarification. I hear there’s a lot of unknown, irrelevant people talking about how I should be stripped of my belt. Ha! Don’t hate the player, hate the game. I don’t have a mandatory.

When I do have a mandatory, it will be dealt with, just like every other mandatory I’ve ever had. Until then, keep on hating motherf***ers and enjoy the little, little, tiny bit of money you guys are making.”

Whilst others in the sport have suggested the world title should change hands should Fury not face a ranked heavyweight, it can be assumed that this response is directed at Krassyuk due to its timing.

Fury’s point is valid, and many in the sport do feel that the WBC haven’t been proactive enough in forcing him to defend his belt. Despite ordering a final eliminator between number one and number two ranked contenders, Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr, no fight has materialised.

The sanctioning body has decided to stick with this scenario, meaning Fury has been let off the hook in terms of mandatory challengers.

Instead, he’s rumoured to be facing Ngannou with an announcement yet to be made as to how the bout might look. His fellow-champion, Usyk, makes the first mandatory defence of his three belts against Daniel Dubois on August 26.