With just under two months to go until their highly anticipated rematch, unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and challenger Tyson Fury went head-to-head Wednesday at a launch press conference in London to promote their Dec. 21 rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) won a harrowing split decision (115-112, 114-113, 113-114) over Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) when the two collided for the undisputed heavyweight title this past May, a spectacle still widely considered as the frontrunner for 2024’s Fight of the Year.
The theatrics were on full display at Wednesday’s media festivities, as Fury chose Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” for his walkout tune while Usyk entered dressed as Agent 47 from the “Hitman” franchise.
But both heavyweights had little to say once the press conference was underway, with the pair even jokingly giving single-word answers at one point.
The highlight of the day arrived when Usyk asked Fury to sign a photograph of their first fight, which portrayed Usyk knocking Fury’s head back with a powerful left hand. Fury signed the picture, commenting, “I look like Shrek in the picture. It’s a picture of me taking a big left hand to the jaw.”
Usyk revealed afterward that he plans to auction the photograph and donate the proceeds to Ukrainian soldiers.
Throughout, Fury exuded confidence that he will reverse the rematch’s result with a few tweaks to his game. “It’s actually been about four and a half years — [it] was the (Deontay) Wilder 2 fight last time I was the underdog in these fights,” he said. “What’s going through my mind? I’m just looking forward to a fantastic fight. Last time in May, it was a fantastic fight. Oleksandr won the fight fair and square. Just looking to put on a great fight again. It was very close last time, he got it by a point. A little bit more focus, a little bit more lack of complacency, and I should do the job I need to do. Nothing drastic has to change. A bit more of the same. A little bit more focus, like I say, and I will be victorious.”
Usyk has won undisputed titles in two weight classes and emerged as the No. 1 fighter on many pound-for-pound lists following his win over Fury. Asked what his motivation is for the rematch, he replied, “I don’t have motivation. Only my regime, only my concentration. This is my motivation, enough.”
“As it would seem, my rematch with people always ends up one way,” Fury said. “I always end up knocking them out in the rematch. Whoever I faced more than once has been knocked out in the rematch. I’m envisaging something similar in this second fight with Usyk.”
Fury has faced three men on more than one occasion. His first fights with John McDermott, Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder all went to a decision, however, Fury won by stoppage in all three rematches, as well as in his trilogy bouts with Chisora and Wilder.
“All I can do is prepare well, train hard, eat well, go to bed early, wake up early, do the right things, listen to people around me and the rest is in God’s hands,” Fury said. “Last time in May, it wasn’t my time to win or else the Almighty would’ve given me the victory. And I’m very happy that Usyk got the decision because God’s timing is not late, it’s not imperfect, it’s perfection. That was meant to be and we’re going to find out what’s going to be meant to be on Dec. 21.
“I believe it will be my time this time and I believe that all things that happen, negative or positive, are lessons,” Fury added. “We must learn from the things that we go through in our lives. We can only do the best we can do as human beings, and as boxers and as fathers and as husbands and everything else. We can only do the best we can do as men, and what we know how to do best is go in there and knock the f*** out of each other in a fight and put on a show for the paying customer. I hope you guys will enjoy this fight as much as I will. I’ll see you all on the 21st.”
