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.
(BBC)
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