'Never heard of that': Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury cop unprecedented ban
Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder won't be allowed to faceoff after Friday's weigh-in, a Top Rank Boxing official said.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has vetoed the fighters from standing toe-to-toe as is customary after a weigh-in, Top Rank media relations director Evan Korn said on Thursday.
"The Commission wants to ensure the fight goes off without a hitch," he said, ahead of arguably the biggest heavyweight showdown since Lennox Lewis destroyed Mike Tyson 18 years ago in Memphis.
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The news comes one day after the two undefeated fighters shoved each other on stage at the outset of a news conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where the fight will be held.
“In my 25 years in boxing I’ve never heard of an administrative body stepping in and prohibiting a face off,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef told ESPN.
“It’s the pinnacle moment before the fight. I am just shocked.
“That’s the money shot and not having that is frustrating.”
Uproar over Wilder’s ‘disgusting’ suicide sledge
After exchanging shoves on Wednesday, the two shouted insults in each other's faces at a news conference that had a more hostile tone than previous ones leading up to the fight.
When that eventually died down and the pair sat to discuss this weekend's bout, Wilder wasted little time before mocking Fury's well-documented issues with depression and suicide.
Fury previously claimed Wilder's stock and profile was only thanks to his rivalry with him and as the slanging match continued, Wilder said: "He should not dare to say that he got me into big-time boxing. If he does, I'll slap him.
"Don't you ever forget that when I found you, you were strung out on coke. You were like a big house, contemplating killing yourself.
"Don't you ever forget who brought you to big-time boxing. I brought you back, dragged you back, I put food on your table for your family to eat and I'm doing it again for a second time.
"I'm the one who sells the pay-per-view and tickets. They come to see me."
Fury, unsurprisingly, took Wilder to task over the taunts about suicide.
"I was the man who beat Wladimir Klitschko," said the Briton.
"I gave you your biggest payday. You're a bum - nobody even knows you in your own country."
Responding to more goading about suicide, Fury said: "And that's the man you take on? A man thinking about killing himself?
"You thought you were getting an easy victory, didn't you? Well it didn't work out - I came back and kicked your arse all over."
As the event was winding down, it was announced they would not faceoff again for pictures.
Britain's lineal heavyweight champion Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) will bid to take the WBC heavyweight belt from American Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs).
The fight is a rematch of their December 2018 battle, which ended in a controversial split-decision draw.
