Tyson Fury was ‘very lucky’ not to lose fight with Otto Wallin, claims Eddie Hearn

Fury eventually battled back to beat the unheralded Swede on points

Eddie Hearn has said that Tyson Fury was “very lucky” not to lose his heavyweight fight with Otto Wallin after he suffered a horrific cut above his right eye.

The 31-year-old former world heavyweight champion was taken to the University Medical Center of South Nevada with two cuts over his right eye, a deep gash on the eyebrow and another on the eyelid immediately after taking a unanimous points decision.

It was not the night - or the fight - Fury envisaged against the relatively-unknown Wallin, making a significant step up after 20 previous unbeaten bouts.

And Hearn has said that Fury was “lucky” to battle back and win on points.

"I haven't seen it, because I was on a plane, but I landed and checked my social media and saw the scores and saw the cut," Hearn told Sky Sports. "I think firstly he's very lucky not to lose the fight with that cut.

"I think any other country in the world, they would have stopped the fight.

“I just think in those fights against that opposition sometimes you don't get yourself motivated to perform and obviously he didn't perform at his best, but he had the injury as well and I think you'll see him perform a lot better against the likes of Wilder and stuff like that.

"I don't know how long he's going to be out for. I don't think he'll be ready for his February fight, but I don't think Wilder will be ready for the February fight either, so it might work in their favour. I expect a different Tyson Fury against Wilder, if that rematch gets made."