Tyson Fury tips scales at four stones heavier than Oleksandr Usyk at weigh-in


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A fully clothed Tyson Fury registered a career-high 20st 1lb [127.5kg], four stones heavier than his opponent Oleksandr Usyk, at the weigh-in for their heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Saturday night's clash at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh will see the Ukranian defend his WBC, WBO and WBA titles against the Briton, who he beat by split decision at the same venue in May.

That meeting unified the heavyweight titles but Usyk subsequently relinquished his IBF belt just weeks after becoming the division's first undisputed champion for 25 years, rather than face challenger Daniel Dubois.

At Friday night's weigh-in at the Wonder Garden, 36-year-old Fury, dressed in a baseball cap, leather jacket and white trousers, massively outweighed Usyk. The 6ft 9ins Briton is also six inches taller than the champion.

The 37-year-old Usyk, who was also fully dressed in a purple tracksuit, weighed in at 16st 1lb [102kg]. That was 5lbs lighter than for their May encounter.

After their 11-minute face-off on Thursday, Fury looked away after just seven seconds during their final face-off before the fight, a 22,000 sell-out.

The “Gypsy King” walked off without giving an on-camera interview. Usyk, asked how he was feeling, simply replied: “Nothing”.

Fury's promoter, Frank Warren, said: “You can analyse it anyway you like but tomorrow night you're going to find out who is the best. You know both of them will come to fight. We are going to see something extra, extra special.”

The defeat in May was the first of Fury's 36-fight pro career. He also has one draw from the first fight of his trilogy against Deontay Wilder.

While, Usyk, a former Olympic champion, is 22-0 including 14 knockouts and was undisputed cruiserweight champion before uniting the heavyweight belts within six fights.

But former WBC interim heavyweight champion Dillan Whyte has warned against writing the “Gypsy King” off.

Fury boasts a strong record in rematches, after prevailing convincingly in his trilogies against Wilder and Derek Chisora.

“It's a hard one to say because if I'm a betting man, I would pick Oleksandr Usyk,” Whyte, who lost to Fury at London's Wembley in April 2022, told Sky Sports.

“But I know from history and seeing Fury fight and knowing his resolve, and being in camp with him and fought him and seen that he has always bounced back.

“It's hard to go against him because you can't just write him off. You think he's finished, he's not going to come back, and then he just comes back and produces the goods.”

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Updated: December 21, 2024, 12:59 PM