CAUSING STUBBLE
Tyson Fury arrives for Oleksandr Usyk fight with ‘gross rule violation’ as he refuses to cave to champion’s demand
The Gyspy King has refused to back down in the beard row
TYSON FURY has arrived for tonight's blockbuster rematch with Oleksandr Usyk with his beard IN TACT.
Team Usyk fumed at the length of the Gypsy King's beard ahead of tonight's Saudi showdown, claiming it “GROSSLY" violated strict facial hair length rules.
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But The Gypsy King has appeared to have IGNORED the Ukrainians' demands to get his razor out, arriving for the Riyadh rumble with his beard in full force.
Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk wasn't shy in voicing his belief that Fury's facial hair is in violation of WBC rules.
He said: “The beard rule is being grossly violated.
“The WBC rules clearly say, ‘A boxer may espouse a trimmed beard as long as the hair thickness does not cushion or affect the impact or trajectory of punches, or cause cuts or abrasions to his rival’."
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"So, Tyson’s beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further.”
Fury and his team, however, have seemingly refused to back down in Beardgate - which has become an unlikely talking point ahead of tonight's eagerly-anticipated rematch.
Queensberry Promotions chief Frank Warren said: “He has a beard and there have been a lot of fighters over the years who have fought with beards, and that’s it.”
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His manager Spencer Brown told ESPN: "Tyson Fury has boxed with a beard on many occasions as do other fighters.
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"Most recently [Artur] Beterbiev.
"Usyk himself has come out publicly and said Tyson having a beard is no problem.
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"There is no law or ruling in boxing to say you can't fight with a beard.
"It’s ridiculous that this has already been brought up in a rules meeting to no avail.
"Simply put if Usyk had a beard we would have no issue. This is not a fashion show, it’s boxing."
Fury, 36, suffered a split decision defeat to Usyk in their historic undisputed straightener in May.
The Wythenshawe warrior has appeared to put on several pounds in order to out-muscle and bully Usyk, who he wants to stop in devastating fashion.
He said: "I'm going to dish out a whole lot of pain.
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"I'm going to put this f****r in the hurt locker, for sure.
"I've got nothing to say other than there's going to be a whole load of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch.
"That's all I've got to say. The talking's been done.
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"The first fight I talked, I joked, all my career. This fight I'm serious.
"I'm going to do some f***ing damage."
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