Frank Warren and Simon Jordan had a blazing on-air row over Tyson Fury 's behaviour before and after the Oleksandr Usyk fight.
Promoter Warren appeared on talkSPORT on Tuesday to discuss his fighter’s defeat to the Ukrainian in Saturday’s heavyweight unification fight in Saudi Arabia. The conversation began with a chat about the rematch, which he confirmed would take place in October in Riyadh, with the Gypsy King determined to avenge the first defeat of his pro career.
Warren was then involved in an extraordinary row with Jordan and host Jim White after Jordan criticised Fury’s behaviour before and after the fight, including the accusation that the judges had sided with Usyk because of the war in Ukraine.
Warren launched a staunch defence of Fury, reminding the pair that the 35-year-old suffered from bipolar. “You don’t know the background, you don’t know the man,” raged the legendary promoter.
“I’ve cringed at some of the things he’s said from time to time, but I know what goes down and how it is [with his condition].”
White then challenged Warren over Tyson’s fractious relationship with talkSPORT, with the fighter currently refusing to speak to the station. Warren insisted he had no business telling Fury to speak to talkSPORT.
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“So I’m going to have a row with someone I’m very close to?” said Warren. “Because it would be a row because he doesn’t want to do it. You think I’m going to go into battle with talkSPORT? No, I’m not.”
Jordan then piled in: “I stand by every single observation I’ve made about Tyson Fury, good and bad. And you guys take all the compliments and none of the criticism, and I expected better.”
Warren then hit out at Jordan for not mentioning Fury’s mental health issues. He responded: “So did I from you, Simon, because what you’ve not done at any time, in any of your columns, is mention that he’s got bipolar.”
That comment incurred Jordan's wrath. The former Crystal Palace owner blasted back: “Oh mate, I’ll tell you what, if I’d have written a column about Tyson Fury’s medical condition, you’d have been all over me like a rash.
“Frank, that is absolute crap. You’d have been all over me. How dare I write about his medical condition. You’re bloody wrong. You’re defending Tyson because he represents a commercial interest to you.”
Tempers eventually cooled with Warren’s appearance, which overran by a significant, ending on a friendly note between the trio.