Top heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang would caution Tyson Fury to take care of his recent injury – because it could become a factor in his upcoming undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
They were scheduled to collide on February 17, but Fury was forced to withdraw after suffering a severe cut above his right eye in training camp.
The contest was quickly rescheduled to the date of May 18.
Zhang believe Fury should have enough time to properly heal the injury, but he must take precautions in camp and during the actual fight.
“It’s hard to say [how the cut will impact the fight]. Every fighter is different with how long cuts take to heal. It really depends on the person. But I do think Tyson Fury has enough time to heal and find sparring. If I were him, I would be very careful to find trustworthy and understanding sparring partners,” Zhang said.
“The cut could factor into the fight, especially if it’s an older cut that has opened. It’s possible it could open again. Oleksandr Usyk could target the eye, but he would also have to expect that Tyson Fury would have a strategy to protect the eye or have a strategy to use Usyk’s aggression towards the eye against him. The cut does present an interesting element.”
Zhang is training for his own upcoming fight, against former world champion Joseph Parker, which takes place on March 8 in Saudi Arabia.
“Camp has been going very well for me. I feel strong, and I’m working hard with my trainer, Shaun George, on a game plan. I am confident in a victory, but I’ll keep specific predictions to myself for now, but I believe I am going to put on a show alongside Joseph Parker,” Zhang said.
“I’m very excited to fight in Saudi Arabia. His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, has a big vision and he is a man who is executing that vision for the benefit of boxing fans worldwide.”