John Fury claims 'idiot' in Oleksandr Usyk's team caused headbutt incident and explains why it happened

John Fury claims a member of Oleksandr Usyk's team caused his head to bleed after viral footage emerged from Saudi Arabia.

Usyk will take on Tyson Fury in a heavyweight title unification bout in Riyadh on Saturday, May 18.

Fight week got underway on Monday - and it's fair to say it didn't get off to the most serene of starts.

During media day, the elder Fury was left bleeding from his head after clashing with a member of Usyk's team.

Fury shouted into the camera: "I live for this f***ing s**t," and chanted: "Fury, Fury, Fury."

Tyson Fury's brother Shane claimed that a headbutt caused the injury - footage later emerged which showed John aiming a headbutt at a member of Usyk's team.

After the incident, the 'Gypsy King' himself reportedly looked at his dad before shouting: "What's happened to your head, you silly c**t?"

John later explained what happened in an interview with IFL TV: "It's a fight game, emotions are running high.

"I was sat there minding my own business, and I could hear 'Usyk, Usyk, Usyk'. I'm going to stand up for my son. He's the best in the world, and I want people to respect him and give him the credit he deserves as the champion. He's the best in the world.

"When people start saying this and saying that... when I was in amongst them, all I could hear was madness.

"Some little idiot came forward, don't know who it was, he was in my space. He got what he got, and that's the end of it. It happens every day of the week for me, that."

Fury later apologised for the incident: "Sincere apologies to everybody involved. It's just the way we are. Emotions and tensions are running high.

"He was a very disrespectful fella. If you come close in a fighting man's space, you're gonna cop for something.

"What matters to me is respect for my son and he wasn't showing any of it. He mentioned my son and that was it, so he had to have it.

"It doesn't bother me [bleeding], it's what we live for, we're fighting people. That's a regular occurrence to me."

How can you watch Fury vs Usyk?

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UK viewers can watch the fight legally on Sky Sports, TNT Sports and streaming service DAZN.

Fans can pay £24.99 on DAZN and will also receive a one-month membership, while it is £24.95 on Sky Sports.

Elsewhere, boxing fans can sign up for a monthly subscription to discovery+, the home of TNT Sports, for £30.99.