Whether you’re a hardcore boxing fan or casual at best, the news of Klitschko-Fury being postponed probably came as an unnecessary low blow to your Friday afternoon. Yes, Wladimir Klitschko, who was set to collide with Tyson Fury on October 24th, has pulled out after suffering a leg injury. The fight will now be rescheduled.
The exact details of where and how the injury occurred are not yet known, but it’s rumoured a torn calf may be the issue. Klitschko has already apologized to his fans and opponent, telling Sky Sports:
“I know that a lot of fans have paid to come and support me in Dusseldorf. I am so sorry that I am unable to fight on Oct. 24 and I also apologize to my opponent who has spent many weeks preparing. I will do my very best to recover as quickly as possible.”
Tyson Fury wasted no time in having his say, though to be fair, he kept clear of firing further insults at Klitschko, choosing to express sympathy for his British fans instead. Well, maybe he did lay into the ‘old man’ a little…
“It was only Wednesday when we were face to face and I knew he was going to pull out,” Fury told Sky Sports. “We were filming a ‘Behind the Gloves’ documentary for Sky Sports and Johnny Nelson is my witness to that. I told him that I would have to back off now because I saw the same thing in Klitschko that I saw in David Haye.
“It is what it is. I’m not really bothered about it myself, because there’s talk of rescheduling the fight, but I feel for the fans. Every big fight I get involved in, my fans and supporters always lose out. It’s alright for us, we get our expenses back but what about the flights and hotels that are non-refundable?”
Fury isn’t kidding about being plagued by bad luck in big fights. The 6′ 9″ fighter was scheduled to fight David Haye twice in 2013 in another lucrative affair, with the fight eventually collapsing due to a Haye injury.
“Times are hard,” Fury contined. “Some of my fans can’t afford to go to these events but they push to go because it’s a massive occasion and a once in a lifetime thing. I feel wounded for all these people and it happens too much in boxing. It’s the fans who suffer.”
And the Heavyweight scene. It will certainly come as a big upset to fans of the game’s glamour division, not to mention those who’ve booked hotels and flights.
According to Sky Sports, who were scheduled to air the pay per view broadcast, the event will now be rescheduled to a different date. We should be notified by next week, so be sure check in for the latest.
How have you taken the news, fight fans? Is the Klitschko-Fury news a Friday wrecker? Or are you used to boxing’s disappointing moments all too well by now?
Mark Phillips is the Head Staff Writer/Assistant Editor at BoxingBase.com, and provides worldwide news, coverage and analysis – he can be reached via our Contact Page.
