Television presenter Laura Woods will be absent from TNT Sports’ coverage of boxing’s big fight to determine the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world on Saturday night – after suffering facial injuries following an accident on holiday.
Woods, who anochors Champions League coverage for TNT as well as leading ITV’s Women’s World Cup broadcasting last year, posted to Instagram late on Friday to explain why she would not be in place for the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight – including photographs of the gruesome injury above and below her eye, as well as on the side of her face and arm.
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Fury and Usyk’s much-anticipated – and delayed – fight is the pinnacle of the sport this year and Woods would normally have been involved as the unbeaten records of both men are put on the line, along with the WBC title and the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
“Just wanted to explain my absence from the telly for a little while, to be totally transparent and avoid any speculation,” she wrote. “I had an accident last weekend at a holiday cottage. I swung a pillow and hit a large, glass lampshade hanging from the ceiling above me, which shattered and cut my face and arms, but luckily missed my eye.”
“It was a hell of a shock and I’ve been a bit sad, but I’m feeling very lucky it wasn’t worse. So a big thanks to my eyebrow too, for taking the brunt of it!
“I’m gutted I can’t cover the fight in Riyadh tomorrow anymore, but wishing the brilliant TNT boxing team all the best.”
Woods’ post also included a note to viewers that her injuries were not for those who “are sensitive to blood”.
The 36-year-old thanked her partner, Adam Collard, and his family for their help through the difficult time after the injury, along with medical professionals who attended to her and her agents.
Well-wishers in reply to her post included England Women legends Fran Kirby and Jill Scott, fellow broadcasters Bianca Westwood and Kelly Sommers and a host of other sporting personalities.
