John Fury questioned Steward’s guidance after the first Oleksandr Usyk defeat and criticized the tactics used in the corner.
‘If I wasn’t in that corner, he would have gone out in the 10th round and tried to knock him out – throwing big punches. What kind of nonsense is this? What kind of Kronk-style rubbish is this?’ John Fury said, as reported by Subway.
He went further in his assessment of Steward.
‘He’s no Emanuel Steward, he’s nothing like him. He’s just a gym sweeper, that’s all he ever was, living off his grandfather’s name or whoever it was. He came here without even £25 for a plane ticket.’
Fury took a different stance. He confirmed that Steward remains a permanent part of his team.
Stability in the corner becomes important with a date set, especially against an opponent who will bring pressure early.
‘We have known each other for 16 years. He is part of the team, always has been and always will be.’
Preparation for the April 11 fight has shifted venue, with Fury training in Thailand rather than his usual base. He reported no problems in the camp.
‘Training is going very well, so far so good. I feel fantastic and Makhmudov is going to get himself into some serious trouble. In three weeks I’ll knock him out cold.’
He also addressed the time away from the ring.
‘I think it was my longest retirement, 16 months by the time I fight again. I was a normal citizen and it sucked every day that I was a citizen.’
Makhmudov pushes forward, gets behind his shots and looks to force exchanges early. Fury’s ability to manage distance, keep his punch selection tight, will shape how the rounds develop.
The team remains unchanged, and the result will show whether that call holds up under pressure.
