Tyson Fury has made an honest injury admission ahead of his much-anticipated rematch with Deontay Wilder on 22 February.
Last September, Fury suffered two severe cuts in his points win over unheralded Swede Otto Wallin.
One of them, directly above the eye, required 47 stitches to close.
Some felt the fight should have been ended - and that Wallin should have been declared the winner as the cut was caused with a legal punch.
Fury, though, battled on and eventually secured a much-needed triumph.
And with that bout having taken place less than six months before the scheduled Wilder rematch, Fury admits he can’t be sure the cut won’t reopen against the Bronze Bomber.
He told Sky Sports News: “Is there any risk? I don’t know because I am not a surgeon.
“I am sure there will be. There is nothing much I can do about that. If it opens, up it opens up.
"It’s out of my control. There is nothing I can do about that eye opening in a fight.”
Wilder’s first fight with Fury ended in a controversial draw as many believed the Gypsy King had done enough over 12 rounds to earn the decision.
However, the WBC champion did knock him down twice in the contest, with the Englishman somehow rising from the canvas in a dramatic 12th round.
The American, who has 41 knockouts from 42 wins, has previously stated he will target his opponent’s eye in the return bout.
He said: “I mean, that’s what you do. If it opens it all depends on how good his plastic surgeon was, how fast it opens.
“Because the power that I have, I know how to cut a man open. [Fury's cut] was longer than his eyebrow itself. Two inches wide.
“Bro, that was automatic stop, but we all know there’s so much money involved.”
Wilder will bid to make the 11th successful defence of his title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in less than a fortnight.
