CNN
—
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stared at each other for over 11 minutes as the pair faced off ahead of their rematch on Saturday.
In May, Ukrainian fighter Usyk handed Fury the first loss of his career after winning a tight split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing world champion.
The fight was a thrilling contest which, in truth, could have gone either way with both men rocking one another over the 12 rounds.
The rematch, then, promises to be every bit as enticing, with few able to confidently pick a winner.
Fury has been notably different in the build-up to this weekend’s contest. He’s cut a far quieter and more focused figure, somewhat abandoning the histrionics which usually preempt his fights.
In the final press conference on Thursday, Fury remained tight-lipped on how he would approach the rematch.
“The talking has been done. The first fight, I talked and I joked, all my career. This time, I’m serious. I’m going to do some damage,” a steely Fury told reporters.
Usyk didn’t have much to offer in response, telling Fury: “Don’t be afraid, I will not leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”
The pair then became locked into a lengthy faceoff, where both men stared at each other for over 11 minutes – neither wanting to break eye-contact first.
The majority of the confrontation was held in total silence, with both fighters staring into the soul of the other. Eventually, as both teams tried to prize their man away, Fury began shouting at Usyk who occasionally snapped back in a more measured manner.
The fight will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 21.
The ring walks for the main event between Usyk and Fury are predicted to start around 5:55 p.m. ET. The fight is then scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and will be available via pay-per-view on DAZN.
Fury, 36, and Usyk, 37, are two very different fighters and two very different people. Their approaches to the rematch, perhaps predictably, have also been polarizing.
“You’ll never hear of Oleksandr Usyk again after this,” Fury told Queensberry Promotions, outlining the sacrifices both he and his wife Paris have made.
“It’s been a long camp. I’ve been away from my wife and kids for three months. I’ve not spoken to Paris for three months, not one word. Sacrificed a lot.”
Meanwhile, Usyk says speaking to his family has helped motivate him through training camp, while adding he hadn’t actually seen them in person for five months.
“I speak with my wife every day, every time, every second, every minute. My children too. Usyk said on Tuesday, speaking to TNT Sports.
“It’s helped me because it’s my family.”
Having won the first fight, Usyk is perhaps the narrow favorite for Saturday, but Fury has promised to make some alterations to his game plan after saying he had watched his defeat over 100 times.
His approach is certainly the biggest difference. Usually full of jokes and energy, Fury has been in an almost monk-like state in the build-up, keeping trash talk to the bare minimum until the end of Thursday’s intense faceoff.
In a bizarre open workout on Wednesday, for example, Fury entered the ring, hood up with a full beard, before trotting around in an almost meditative state.
“A lot of pain,” Fury said when a reporter tried to ask about the fight.
“Smash and damage,” he continued, without really answering the questions.
“A lot of hurt. Hurt, serious hurt. A lot of damage.”
He then left the workout without throwing a single punch – fighters usually have a light training session.
It was then Usyk’s turn to enter the ring. The Ukrainian danced around and shadowboxed while a live band played a song. He then also left, leaving many scratching their heads.
It’s almost impossible to confidently predict a winner for the weekend.
Fury is the much taller man who is far heavier and has a longer reach. He also looks to be in incredible condition for the fight.
Meanwhile, the unbeaten Usyk, who has moved up from cruiserweight to conquer the heavyweight division, is lightning quick and is seemingly unbreakable mentally. Perhaps most importantly, Usyk has always found a way to win.
The eyes of the boxing world will be on the pair Saturday to see who can prevail in one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
If Thursday’s faceoff is anything to go by, it’s going to be an intense encounter.
