Promoter Alexander Krassyuk is puzzled by Turki Alalshikh's recent claim that British fighters are the world’s best, especially as the unified heavyweight championship bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury approaches.
During a press conference in Morecambe, Alalshikh, unable to attend, phoned in to praise Fury and voiced his high regard for UK fighters. Krassyuk, who has been Usyk’s promoter throughout his career, raised concerns about potential favoritism towards Fury, the WBC world heavyweight champion, following these remarks.
He also highlighted a notable omission in Alalshikh's praise: “His Excellency mentioned that British fighters were the best in the world, but he omitted the fact that the future undisputed heavyweight champion had a Ukrainian passport,” Krassyuk told WBN. He acknowledged Alalshikh’s rights to his preferences, “Mr. Alalshikh is a great, honorable man and a big fan of boxing. It is his right to choose his favorite in the biggest fight of the century.”
Despite these concerns, Krassyuk assured that the fight’s integrity remains intact, emphasizing the careful selection of officials, “We respect him a lot and trust that this boxing match will be contested at the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship. However, we have taken care of the selection of the officials. Those selections will be made on mutual approval.”
Image Credit: Sky Sports