Fury vs Usyk 2: Tyson Fury dragged away from 11-minute plus face-off with Oleksandr Usyk
Fury and Usyk in astonishing 11-minute face-off
Image source, Getty ImagesOleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury refused to look away from one another
Kal Sajad
BBC Sport journalist at Via Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk shared a quite astonishing 11-minute and 20-second face-off in one of the most remarkable, perhaps the longest, head-to-heads in boxing history.
Briton Fury, 36, will challenge for Usyk’s unified heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Speaking as he left the news conference, Usyk said: “Me? [Look away?] No.”
Neither man had anything of note to say in Thursday’s news conference, both insisting the talking was done.
The obligatory face-off, however, provided the most talked about moment of fight week and demonstrated the mind battle between arguably the two best heavyweights on the planet.
Fury towered over Usyk and both refused to look away inside a luxury mall in the centre of the Saudi capital.
A few minutes in, organisers began hatching a plan to separate the pair. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was the first to try and convince them, but neither fighter broke their stare.
A piece of card and a handkerchief was then placed between them.
Sweat dripped down Fury’s head as the fighters began to share words and become more animated.
“The rabbit’s getting it this time. Butchered. Smashed to pieces,” Fury told Usyk.
“Don’t be afraid,” Usyk responded.
A shouting Fury was eventually dragged away. A few moments later, he was dancing with drummers performing outside of the news conference room.
In May, 37-year-old Usyk outpointed Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years.
Usyk v Fury
Saturday, 21 December – programme starts at 21:00 GMT
‘This time I am serious’ – Fury
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Before the face-off shenanigans, an edgy and intense Fury said it was no longer time for joking and that he will “do some serious damage” to his rival.
Sporting a bushy beard which he says provides added strength, Fury has been reluctant to engage with the media in fight week.
“I’ve got nothing to say, apart from there is going to be a lot of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch,” he said, with a few expletives added in.
“That’s all I got to say. Talking’s been done. The first fight I talked, I joked – all my career – this time I am serious.”
Smartly dressed in a white suit and black hat, Fury added: “I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain.”
Paris Fury, the former champion’s wife, sat on the front row alongside two of his sons.
Earlier this week, Fury revealed he had not spoken to his wife for three months while focused on training in Malta.
As for Usyk, the Crimea-born champion – wearing a striking maroon outfit with embroidery – was serenaded to the top table by a Ukrainian singer and a choir consisting of a dozen suited men.
“Now we have just a performance with lights and cameras. Everything will take place on Saturday,” Usyk said.
Usyk stared down Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn when he tipped his fellow Briton for the win, a prediction which prompted a rare smile from Fury.
Asked if he had a final message for Fury, Usyk said: “Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone.”
‘They could face off in a car park and still give you a headline’ – analysis
Image source, Getty Images
The face-off had been silent until around the 10 minute mark, when there were attempts to stop it
Six months ago, Fury refused to look Usyk in the eye at a face-off in fight week. On Thursday, the stare down lasted almost as long as four rounds of boxing.
There was no restlessness from the world’s media in attendance. In fact, the longer it went on, the more the tension built as camera operators and reporters jostled to get closer to the pair.
The face-off offered headlines on what, until that point, had been a dull news conference in the most lavish of surroundings.
The Saudi investment in boxing has changed the landscape of the sport, and the energy-rich nation’s extravagance was once again showcased in a third ostentatious fight week event.
On Monday, fighters appeared from a Boeing 777 plane on a makeshift runway at an attraction park, before Fury and Usyk arrived on boats to the open workout a day later.
Media ventured past high-end fashion stores, a Michelin star restaurant and even a supercar dealership en route to the news conference.
It all makes quite the spectacle, but this fight does not need such extravagance. Fury and Usyk could face off in a carpark and you are still guaranteed a headline.
Image source, Getty Images
Several appeals to each fighter fell on deaf ears, Usyk didn’t appear to blink once
Image source, Reuters
Fury began speaking to his opponent, and security eventually had to coax him off stage
Image source, Getty Images
Usyk might think he won the small battle of the face-off
