Tyson Fury's behaviour following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their definitive heavyweight fight in Saturday night was unpredictable, to say the least.
Hall of Fame boxing promoter Frank Warren was quick to defend his client though, as he was sat ringside as he watched Fury's unbeaten career record disintegrate before his very eyes.
Usyk defeated the Gypsy King by split decision, as the judges scored the bout 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury and 114-113 to Usyk after 12 x three minute rounds.
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In the fateful ninth round, the Ukrainian landed consecutive shots on Fury, who was wobbling and stumbling around the ring, seemingly kept up by bouncing off the ropes while escaping his opponent.
The Mancunian has never been seen in a similar state before in his career with the referee awarding a knock down in favour of Usyk, as Fury was saved from a KO by the bell during the sporting spectacle.
The win means that Usyk was crowned the undisputed WBO, WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight world champion, the first time this has happened since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.
But during the post-fight interview, the Brit claimed that he should have won, did enough to win and outrageously suggested that the judges sided with him because Usyk's country of Ukraine was at war.
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“I believe I won that fight, I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them.
“We both put on a good fight. His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war,” Fury claimed.
However, his long-time boxing promoter recently defended him on the talkSPORT Breakfast show this morning (Monday 20 May).
Warren cited the boxer's long-term mental health issues, and how he has been doing his best to combat it.
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The 72-year-old said about the public reaction to the comments: “I get quite angry. I’ve just got back and I’m reading some of the reports.
"Tyson is bipolar. If you go on the NHS site and look at what the symptoms are of bipolar, some of the things is saying exactly what is on your mind.
“If it’s in your mind, you say it. That is one of the symptoms, unfortunately,” Warren stated.
Despite Fury remaining open about his mental health problems, the boxing promoter believes that most people don't understand how bipolar disorder can affect behaviour.
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“Tyson, you look at him immediately after that fight, he kisses [Usyk] at least three times on the forehead and on the cheek," he pointed out.
“With Tyson, he’s said in the past, ‘I’ve retired’. And a couple of months later, ‘I’m fighting again’. That’s unfortunately one of the things that happens with people who suffer from a dreadful illness.
“It was called manic depression years ago, now it’s called bipolar. It’s all well documented the problems he’s had down the years. Tyson is a warrior," he concluded on the subject.
Warren also discussed the possibility of exercising the rematch clause, which would set a part two in October this year, back in Saudi Arabia.
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"There was a rematch clause.
"That was the condition that was required by the people who were investing in it and that is what is there. If Tyson wants it – and he’s said that he does want it – then it will go ahead," according to Warren.
Topics: Boxing, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Mental Health
Joshua Nair