Tyson Fury’s Career-High Weigh-in: Four Stone Heavier Than Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury registered a career-high weight of 20st 1lb while fully clothed ahead of his heavyweight world title bout on Saturday against reigning champion Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia. Usyk, representing Ukraine, is set to defend his WBA (Super), WBC, and WBO titles against two-time champion Fury at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Wearing a leather jacket, white trousers, and a baseball cap, which remained on his head during the weigh-in, Fury’s weight exceeded his opponent’s by four stone. Fury presented a more relaxed demeanor compared to his appearances earlier in the week, even engaging in handshakes with Usyk’s team members. However, the 36-year-old British boxer appeared keen to conclude Friday’s weigh-in, turning his gaze away after only seven seconds during their final face-off. A day prior, they had participated in an 11-minute face-off. The fighter from Morecambe departed the event without conducting an on-camera interview. When questioned about his feelings, Usyk responded succinctly: “Nothing.” The 37-year-old Usyk secured a split decision victory for the undisputed title in May, marking the first professional defeat for Fury. Usyk also appeared fully dressed in a tracksuit as he stepped onto the scales, which complicated assessing the boxers’ physical condition and form. He recorded a weight of 16st 2lb, which was merely two pounds above his weight for their initial encounter. Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, stated: “You can analyse it anyway you like but tomorrow night you’re going to find out who is the best.” He added: “You know both of them will come to fight. We are going to see something extra, extra special.” For his first bout against Usyk, Fury weighed 18st 7lb, and his heaviest recorded weight was 19st 8lb during his fight against Francis Ngannou last year. Beyond the weigh-in proceedings, a disagreement has emerged between the fighters’ teams concerning a replacement official and the permissible length of Fury’s beard. Fury has cultivated a bristly beard, which he asserts contributes to his strength. Typically, boxing regulations stipulate specific lengths for facial hair, as stubble, for instance, can exacerbate cuts. Despite Fury’s beard receiving clearance at a rules meeting held on Friday, Usyk’s team intends to “push this further.” Alex Krassyuk, Usyk’s promoter, informed the Independent that WBC rules specify facial hair length must not serve as a cushion against the force of a punch. Concurrently, Fernando Barbosa, who was scheduled to be one of the three judges for Saturday’s event, did not travel to Riyadh due to illness. Steve Weisfeld and Ignacio Robles were brought in as replacements for Barbosa, but the two fighters’ teams held differing preferences regarding which judge should officiate. Following a coin toss to resolve the disagreement, Robles was selected as the third judge. Given that Friday is not a working day in Saudi Arabia, the weigh-in, which took place at a garden-themed theme park, saw slightly higher attendance than other events during fight week. The distant sounds of a rollercoaster were overshadowed by chants of “there’s only one Tyson Fury” from some British fans who had traveled for the event. A few hundred Saudis also attended, most of whom were already visiting the theme park. Major boxing events in the Kingdom have faced criticism for their sparse attendance. While developing a new boxing fanbase requires time, local engagement for this particular fight does not seem to be accelerating rapidly. While a Usyk v Fury match could fill any stadium in the United Kingdom, the boxers gain advantages from competing in the Middle East due to the financial investment provided by the energy-rich Saudi organizers. Although the precise purses have not been disclosed, unconfirmed reports suggest the two fighters will divide a prize fund of £150m, with the specific split remaining confidential. For their initial fight, Fury reportedly received up to £85m, a sum considerably greater than Usyk’s reported purse of £35m.