RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Sporting a muscular beard, leather jacket, jeans and shoes, Tyson Fury was at the Wonder Garden Carnival Friday night in preparation for Saturday’s unified heavyweight championship rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. He weighed a career-high 281 pounds.
Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) was clean-shaven, shirtless and wearing track pants in May when he weighed 262 pounds. The 36-year-old was eliminated in the ninth round of that bout for the undisputed heavyweight championship, losing by split decision.
Ukraine’s Usyk, the defending heavyweight champion, wore a tracksuit, T-shirt and shoes and weighed 226 pounds (55 pounds less than his challenger). The 2012 Olympic gold medalist tipped the scales in his first match, shirtless and wearing jeans, for a score of 223.5.
There is no weight limit for heavyweight boxing.
Fury’s previous career-high weight was 277.7 in his heavyweight championship rematch with Deontay Wilder in February 2020. Fury won that fight by seventh-round TKO. Fury engaged in long-distance boxing in his December 2018 fight with Wilder, which ended in a draw. In that game he was 256 1/2.
Fury also used a jab from range against Usyk. His weight gain suggests that the Gypsy King may try to fight Usyk in a similar manner to the Wilder rematch, where he applied non-stop pressure and deployed a seek-and-destroy strategy. There is.
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“I’m pretty thin,” Fury told ESPN last week. “Aside from the big beard, I’m fine. I’m in great shape and fit as a fiddle. I’ll be ready for Saturday night.”
Fury camped in Malta rather than his native England to minimize distractions. He said he has not spoken to his wife, Paris, for three months as he wants to avenge the first loss of his illustrious career.
Fury said he is much more prepared this time and is sparring four times a week.
He injured his left eye while sparring for his first match, which was postponed from February to May. Fury said he did little sparring during the five weeks of preparation because he was worried that Gash would restart.
Fury is ranked No. 2 in ESPN’s heavyweight rankings. Usyk, 37, is the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer.
The former undisputed cruiserweight champion swept the 200-pound division before going on to win the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles with two wins over Anthony Joshua.
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) will make his seventh appearance at heavyweight.
Fury is listed as 6 feet 9 inches tall with an 85 inch reach. Usyk, a southpaw, is 6-3 with a 78-inch reach.