The London red carpet media launch for Tyson Fury’s impending mega-millions bout in Saudi Arabia next month took on an unexpected twist, as a potential undercard fighter found himself in the midst of a tumultuous brawl. Fabio Wardley, a candidate for the undercard, crossed paths with his projected British heavyweight title opponent, David Adeleye, and Adeleye’s entourage.
In the chaotic scuffle that ensued, one of Adeleye’s associates threw a punch that struck Wardley squarely on his sunglasses, causing a nasty cut to his left eye, and a sudden gush of blood. Videos capturing the incident swiftly surfaced on social media, vividly depicting Wardley being knocked to the ground in the altercation.
Remarkably, this skirmish unfolded just moments before the official announcement of a bout between the two fighters, scheduled as part of the undercard for the Fury-Ngannou showdown.
As the dust settled from the commotion, WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former UFC giant Francis Ngannou took center stage, vigorously promoting their upcoming crossover boxing match in Riyadh, scheduled for October 28. Both fighters were adamant that this contest would be a legitimate battle, vehemently refuting claims that it was merely an enriching exhibition, as some critics had suggested.
Ironically, the name of the third promoter of this Saudi spectacular added an extra layer of intrigue to the proceedings. Frank Warren’s Queensberry and Bob Arum’s Top Rank shared the stage with Ngannou’s very own promotion company, “Gimmick Promotions.” The juxtaposition of this unusual promoter amidst boxing’s stalwarts was indeed a delicious irony.
Fury, with unwavering confidence, declared, “I’m going to be in fantastic condition for a very dangerous fight with the man they call the biggest puncher in all combat sports. Because if I did get beat by an MMA fighter, I would never be able to show my face in public again.” The stakes were high, the tensions palpable, and the anticipation for this unique clash continued to mount.
