Boxing promoter Frank Warren has come to the defence of Tyson Fury as he and his team have been criticised by frustrated fight fans over the ongoing Oleksandr Usyk saga.
The highly-anticipated bout, which would have seen a undisputed heavyweight champion crowned for the first time since 1999, was called off just over a month out from its scheduled date at the end of this month (29 April) following a dispute over some of the particulars in the contract.
Moreover, after a controversial clip of Fury explaining that he’ll “never fight” Usyk resurfaced online, along with various other ‘offensive’ and ‘unpalatable’ comments throughout negotiations, the Ukrainian’s camp has stated that the Furys have “disrespected the fans” and it looks like many of them agree.
Fatigued with the typical and tiresome back and forth the sport seems to be continually throwing up, many fans are now calling out Fury for ‘wasting their time’ and effectively exploding the fight from within. However, his promoter Frank Warren believes their criticism is misplaced.
Frank Warren on Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: “Do you know what's killed this? Social media. All the p***ing around on social media. If it'd been left to people to do it in a grown-up way, there wouldn't have been a problem.” [@talkSPORT talkBOXING]
Speaking to Simon Jordan on talkSPORT‘s boxing show, Warren clarified that despite mixed information from both sides, it was Fury’s camp that requested a rematch clause be inserted into the agreement to not only give Usyk multiple chances, but to increase the payday on both sides.
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He also detailed how Usyk and co. stipulated that they wanted a 70/30 split of the purse from the rematch as well, i.e. the reverse of the original deal for the first fight — one of several reasons why discussions apparently broke down.
Moreover, the head of Queensberry Promotions said that another aspect that has complicated the fight is social media, insisting that “if it’d been left to people to do it in a grown-up way, there wouldn’t have been a problem”.
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Admitting that even Tyson hasn’t helped in that respect, especially when it came to putting out seemingly arbitrary deadlines regarding the Antony Joshua fight as well — one which also collapsed in a similarly drawn out fashion — he argued that both boxers have ended up drumming up a stance and sticking with it.
Warren went on to say that despite a “few Tyson Fury haters” popping up of late, the Gypsy King “has never ducked anybody” and has fought plenty of his own ‘underdog’ fights in his time, including his bout against Wladimir Klitschko when he earned just £1 million as the mandatory challenger.
The 71-year-old insisted that people shouldn’t “criticise Tyson Fury [because] he’s had three fights in the [United] States against [Deontay] Wilder, great fights. One was probably the best round of the last ten years – that last round of the first fight.
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“The second fight was a phenomenal performance, and the third fight was the best heavyweight fight I’ve seen live in my time in boxing”, he said, adding that it was Usyk that pulled out and had flown out to Turkey despite claiming to be in Kyiv.
It’s unlikely we’ll ever get the full truth from either side but, regardless, Warren reiterated that Usyk will now have to fight a mandatory bout against Daniel Dubois before he can get the opportunity to challenge Fury again. You can watch his interview with talkSPORT in full down below:
Featured Image — Tyson Fury (via Instagram)/Wikimedia Commons/Oleksandr Usyk
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Super League Basketball Cup Finals return to Manchester for second year running
Danny Jones
Following the roaring success of last season’s epic conclusion, the 2026/27 Super League Basketball (SLB) Cup Finals are returning to the AO in Manchester.
Coming back for a second consecutive edition, the SLB’s domestic cup finals tournament will be taking over the city centre’s historic sporting and entertainment space for what is sure to be an even more exciting contest than the previous.
Intertwining themselves even deeper with UK basketball’s premier division, we’ll be hoping we can carry the home advantage all the way this time around.
Landing early next year, the arena’s bowl will be turned into a basketball venue which will host the top teams and talents throughout Britain.
Showcasing some of the very best men’s and women’s stars, this is one of the competition’s biggest flagship dates on the national calendar.
Offering clubs the first real chance of winning major silverware in the annual campaign, the organisers are urging fans to grab their tickets earlier than ever this year, with interest in the domestic game increasing constantly.
Local fans really showed up this past spring.
Set to take place on Sunday, 21 March 2027, next year’s deciders will see the female final tip off in the early afternoon, before the men’s players take to the court for a chance at the trophy.
In Manc basketball news, MCR have confirmed several key signings ahead of the new term, including a former London Lion.
SLB’s Head of Events, Clare Holmes, said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to be bringing the SLB Cup Finals back to the AO Arena for a second consecutive year.
“Last season’s event demonstrated the incredible appetite for elite basketball in Manchester, with a fantastic atmosphere created by supporters from across the country.
“Our goal is to continue raising the bar for our major events, and we’re excited to welcome fans back for another unforgettable day celebrating the very best of Super League Basketball.”
Early pre-sale access will be available to fans signed up to the official mailing list from Monday, 10 August, while general admission tickets go live at 10am the following week (17 Aug).
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via AO Arena/MCR Basketball)
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Manchester United announce plans for first permanent fan zone at Old Trafford
Danny Jones
Manchester United have revealed the first glimpse at a brand-new fan zone at Old Trafford – the first permanent one of its kind at the ground.
Dubbed ‘The Paddock’ in a nod to the club’s history, the official Man United supporter park is due to open later this year.
Set to be fully unveiled just metres from the Stretford End, the aim is to make it “the closest place to the stadium to enjoy great local food, drink, and lively entertainment.”
The new addition comes after recent consultations with regular season ticket holders who want a dedicated and club-sanctioned space to enjoy themselves before, during and after fixtures.
As you can see from the brief look we’ve now gotten at the fan park, which will be able to hold approximately 1,300 Reds, The Paddock will revolve around food and drink – including some self-service bars – as well as space for live music and other entertainment.
We know the above image is only a little artist’s mock-up, but you can picture local grassroots musicians who support the team being given the opportunity to play the stage, etc.
Rick McGagh, Director of Fan Engagement at United, said: “We’re delighted that in partnership with Levy, we have implemented a wide range of changes to enhance matchdays, bringing greater choice and better service for supporters across the stadium – something fans have told us they want.”
An official statement goes on to read that “the proposed fan zone is the latest example of our continued investment in the atmosphere, fan experience and facilities at Old Trafford, while progressing plans for a new world-class stadium.”
Speaking of which, we recently got more details on where exactly ‘New Trafford’ (not a confirmed title, just FYI) will sit in relation to the existing Theatre of Dreams.
Wharfside will look VERY different in the years to come.
Obviously, all of this news comes as somewhat temporary by default given that we now know the vision of Man United’s new stadium is finally starting to move forward.
However, it is nevertheless good news for matchgoers looking for places to spend extended periods near the venue when going to a game.
At present, this is all still subject to full planning permission, but with former Old Trafford Regeneration Taskforce Members and Greater Manchester Mayor turned Prime Minister Andy Burnham now at the helm, you’d expect something like this to pass through smoothly and quickly.
With an autumn opening date currently set for the opening of The Paddock, it will be interesting to see how well-attended it is given some of the recent sentiments and frustrations surrounding many of the most loyal and dedicated Man United fans.
In case you missed it, even a six-year-old kid and former mascot has seen his ticket restricted due to the attempted crackdown on touts. 😬
Danny Jones -
4th April 2023 
