John Fury rips into his son Tyson’s ‘incapable’ coaching team and claims the Gypsy King ‘would have been knocked out’ by Oleksandr Usyk without his corner advice
John Fury has criticised Tyson’s coaching team, claiming he was the one who prevented his son from being knocked out by Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury hung up his gloves for a fourth time in January after suffering a second consecutive defeat at the hands of Usyk.
The first bout between the pair saw the Gypsy King narrowly escape after Usyk landed an unanswered series of 14 punches which left the former wobbling in round nine.
John, who was heavily criticised for his antics before and after the fight and later banned from the rematch, believes he’s the sole reason why his son was not knocked out.
The 59-year-old told SecondsOut: ‘Well, if it wasn’t for me in his corner he’d be knocked out. Simple as that.
‘He was listening to the wrong instructions and got caught going to the left of a southpaw. I’m a southpaw, you don’t go to the left on me because I’ll catch you.
John Fury has criticised his Tyson’s coaching team after consecutive defeats
Fury narrowly avoided being knocked out in the first bout after Usyk landed an unanswered series of 14 punches
John believes SugarHill Steward (left) is ‘incapable’ of training Tyson
‘He was listening to ill-advise, too many people in the corner and I’m his father, if it wasn’t for me, he not only stayed in the fight he won the 11th, he shared the tenth because his legs were gone in the tenth.
‘He was a miracle man to get out the ninth round but it was me who kept him in there. If it had been left to them, he’d have been knocked out.’
SugarHill Steward – nephew to legendary trainer Emanuel – has trained Tyson for his last seven fights, with former world champion Andy Lee as assistant.
However, John insists Steward is ‘incapable’ of training Tyson.
He added: ‘He was listening to people that haven’t got any fighting experience.
‘And at the end of the day, if he was that good of a trainer, Sugarhill, his uncle Emanuel would have left him the top job, wouldn’t he?
‘He would’ve left him the full business, Jonathan Banks ended up with it. Why didn’t Tommy Hearns have Sugarhill? Why didn’t Lenox Lewis have him?
‘Why didn’t all the other Kronk fighters have him? There’s a reason for it. Why do all these British fighters have him and sack him? Because he’s incapable and I’m the first to say it.
The 59-year-old headbutted a member of Usyk’s entourage ahead of their fight last May
Fury has since hung up his gloves for a fourth time after suffering a second defeat by Usyk
‘I don’t mind the man as a man, I’m talking on boxing terms only. The man is a very nice man, he’s never done me no harm in any way shape or form.
‘But, we’re talking boxing politics here and they just don’t work Tyson hard enough, he’s too soft with him and Tyson’s telling him what to do half the time.
‘And like I say, they’re not going to tell him he’s wrong because they need the money.’
In the build-up to the first bout between Tyson and Usyk last May, John was let left bloodied after headbutting a member of the Ukrainian’s camp.
He was left bleeding from his forehead after he launched the attack in the lobby of the Riyadh Hilton Hotel in Saudi Arabia.
Footage that quickly circulated on social media showed Fury Snr lashing out with his head towards Stanislav Stepchuk, who was wearing Usyk’s team tracksuit. He then had to be restrained after security stepped in to prevent any further confrontation.
