Agron Smakici seeks apology from Tyson Fury after sparring incident
Agron Smakici, the Croatian heavyweight who once served as Tyson Fury’s training partner, is seeking an apology from the former two-time world champion following their controversial sparring session, reports BritPanorama.
The incident occurred ahead of Fury’s originally scheduled undisputed title clash with Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, when Smakici was brought in to help prepare the ‘Gypsy King’ for the bout. However, the sparring resulted in Fury sustaining a cut that forced the postponement of the highly anticipated contest just weeks before it was due to take place.
The wound reopened scar tissue from an injury Fury originally suffered during his 2019 fight against Otto Wallin, which has troubled him repeatedly since. Speaking to World Boxing News, Smakici has revisited the notorious training session and rejected suggestions that the damage was inflicted by an elbow rather than a legitimate punch.
“The memories that we have from sparring. Where I was controlling the sparring from the first round, the second round,” he said. Describing the exchange, Smakici recounted how Fury pushed his head down, prompting him to respond with increased aggression. He claims that he rocked Fury with several punches, noting that one inflicted the cut that halted the sparring.
Despite his enthusiasm regarding a potential bout, a meeting between the two appears improbable. Smakici sustained a defeat in his most recent contest against Artem Suslenkov in October and previously lost to heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel in 2023. Fury’s path since the sparring incident has seen setbacks as well; after facing Usyk in May 2024 and losing by split decision, he suffered another points defeat in their December rematch.
Following the second loss, the 37-year-old announced his retirement from boxing, only to quickly reverse that decision. He is now scheduled to face Russian puncher Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April in his UK comeback, expressing excitement about his return to the ring. “I’m absolutely psyched, ready today to fight. Come on! The Mac is back. April, UK. I’ve been away four years, I’ve been away for a while but I’m back now,” Fury stated.
For Smakici, the desire for a rematch stems from unfinished business, as he believes Fury owes him an apology for the events that transpired in the gym. As the two heavyweight fighters navigate their careers, the ramifications of that sparring session continue to echo in the boxing world.
