Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury face off for the first time in Riyadh ahead of their rematch for the unified world heavyweight championship on Saturday
The sheer intensity of Oleksandr Usyk’s rivalry with Tyson Fury was encapsulated in an epic staredown that closed out the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight championship rematch.
They locked eyes onto each other and neither would break away from the face off. The minutes ticked by in what felt like, probably, the longest boxing face off in recorded history.
It lasted for a mesmerising 11 minutes and 13 seconds.
Morecambe’s Fury has cut a menacing figure in the build-up to this fight, his chance to avenge the first defeat of his professional career.
Usyk beat him on a split decision in May to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, the first of the four-belt era.
Though Usyk subsequently had to vacate the IBF championship, Saturday’s Sky Sports Box Office rematch is a chance for Fury to win back three of the world titles, the WBC, WBO and WBA belts, which he has held at different times in his stellar career.
But he also wants to settle a personal score. If he can overcome Usyk, there’ll no professional opponent whom he hasn’t beaten.
Fury has locked himself away in “beast mode” in training camp. He was just as fierce and uncharacteristically self-contained at the final press conference on Thursday.
He slowly leant to the microphone and spoke solemnly. He promised he’d put Usyk “in the hurt locker for sure”.
“I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain,” Fury intoned. “I’ve got nothing to say apart from there’s going to be a whole of pain and hurt in this fight.
“This time I’m serious… watch me go to work.”
