JOSEPH PARKER has insisted that Tyson Fury's cut that caused his fight with Oleksandr Usyk to be delayed was a "freak accident".
Fury has come under criticism for suffering a cut during a sparring session ahead of his fight with the Ukrainian.
Fury, 35, was caught by an elbow by Croatian sparring partner Agron Smakici and was left needing over ten stitches in his eye.
As a result of the injury, the heavyweight unification bout with Usyk was delayed from February 17 to May 18.
There has been no evidence that the injury was faked in any way.
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However, fans have speculated about its legitimacy on social media.
Parker, 32, has now weighed in on the debate and has dismissed the conspiracy theories.
Former WBO heavyweight champion told iFL TV: "I don’t think that you can escape seeing the opinions and the comments.
"A lot of people are talking real bad about him [Fury] and saying that it is a fake cut and that he made it happen.
"Everyone has an idea, everyone has an opinion, everyone wants to say this and say that and think that they know what is happening but that is boxing.
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"These things happen and it is a freak accident.
"It is good that they have postponed the fight and not given the fight to anyone else because we do want to see that fight happen.
"I know that it will happen.
"There are things in place now where if someone pulls out of the fight there is something that they have to deal with so it will happen, May 18th."
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Saudi's boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh was quick to confirm a new date only three months down the line has been set.
Fury and Usyk must make the fight happen now otherwise will have to have a massive £10MILLION consequence to be paid out of either boxer's own cash.
Usyk spoke out for the first time since the fight cancellation during a press conference in Valencia - where it was revealed he pushed for the penalty clause.
TYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
