Agron Smakici has revealed Tyson Fury sportingly praised him after he recently cut the Gypsy King's eye in sparring - causing his fight with Oleksandr Usyk to be delayed.
Boxing fans from all over the globe had been hoping to see Fury and Usyk finally settle their differences in the ring.
However, the bout has now been pushed back until May after Fury sustained a gruesome eye injury in sparring.
Smakici accidentally caught the 35-year-old with an elbow, forcing the fight with Usyk to be delayed as a result.
Boxing news: Tyson Fury sportingly praised Agron Smakici after his eye injury in sparring
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Speaking to The Sun, Smakici alleges that he was fired up following a prank from Fury.
Yet the 33-year-old says Fury showed a sporting side by praising him and their sparring session in the direct aftermath of the incident.
“He did it but it was a joke and I didn’t take it seriously," Smakici said.
“I was not angry, because he was laughing, he is funny. He is a comedian.
"Yes it made me a little more serious, it made me want to show him what I had.
“But it was a clean punch and the elbow was not on purpose, I was just trying to give him better rounds and to show him that I deserved respect.
“I got that respect in the sparring and afterwards he said ‘great sparring, accidents happening, everything before was great’.
"Crazy things like this happen in boxing.”
Smakici also says the cut happened because both men were 'tired' and they were involved in 'dirty boxing' during camp.
He added: "I felt the spar was too early.
“But it was a clean punch and the elbow was not on purpose, I was just trying to give him better rounds and to show him that I deserved respect.
“I got that respect in the sparring and afterwards he said ‘great sparring, accidents happening, everything before was great’.
"Crazy things like this happen in boxing.”
Smakici also says the cut happened because both men were 'tired' and they were involved in 'dirty boxing' during camp.
He added: "I felt the spar was too early.
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Boxing news: Tyson Fury's gruesome eye injury meant his fight with Oleksandr Usyk was pushed back to May
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"But Fury was motivated, he said he wanted 12 rounds, he did three with Thomas Carty and then I came in.
“He made jokes like ‘let’s go little sausage’ but he was very motivated, dancing in the ring and using his reach a lot.
"I got in and used my style, it was physical, we did some wrestling and good combinations.
“Then the cut happened because we were tired.
"I threw the left hook but my head was also going forward because he was pulling it, it was a bit like dirty boxing.”
Boxing news: Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will meet in the ring on May 18
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All eyes will be on Fury and Usyk when their fight finally takes place.
Fury has won 34 of his 35 career fights - with a draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018 the only time he's failed to win.
Usyk, meanwhile, has emerged victorious from all 21 of his career fights so far.
He's beaten Anthony Joshua twice, with his last win coming against Daniel Dubois back in August.
