Boxing
‘Talking’s been done’: Fury gets serious ahead of Usyk rematch
Tyson Fury insisted that there would be no joking around ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, as both heavyweights were subdued in a bizarre press conference on Thursday.
Usyk beat Fury on a split-decision in Saudi Arabia in May to become a four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion, and the pair will meet once again at the same Kingdom Arena venue on Saturday in Riyadh with the WBC, WBO and WBA titles on the line.
In a news conference before the bout, both fighters gave curt opening statements before engaging in a tense and drawn out faceoff that went on for over 11 minutes.
They were eventually separated by their entourages after a heated exchange.
Fury, garrulous even by the standards of a sport that thrives on trash-talking, was unusually quiet in the press conference and said he was fully focused on revenge.
“I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain,” a bearded Fury said.
“I’ve got nothing to say, apart from there is going to be a lot of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch. That’s all I got to say. Talking’s been done. The first fight I talked, I joked – all my career – this time, I am serious.
“I am going to do some serious damage. Watch me go to work. Can’t wait for Saturday night. Thank you everybody involved. God bless.”
Fury’s silence was the latest of a string of strange decisions in recent days, with the boxer not throwing a single punch during a public workout on Wednesday and reportedly banning his father from his corner for the bout.
Usyk, for his part, was typically business-like.
“Now we have just a performance with lights and cameras. Everything will take place on Saturday…,” the Ukrainian said.
“Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”
Promoter Bob Arum said he had confidence in Fury’s ability to win the rematch, pointing to the Briton’s dominant victory over former WBC champion Deontay Wilder in the second bout of their trilogy.
“I’m not only Tyson Fury’s co-promoter but I’m a Tyson Fury fan,” Arum said.
“For anyone who watched the second Fury-Wilder fight, remember the first was a draw, Tyson knew what he had to do and he won that second fight in a one-sided way.
“I’m looking forward to him fighting in that way and being successful on Saturday. That being said, he’s fighting a tough, tough, skilled Ukrainian.”
Promising 19-year-old heavyweight Moses Itauma and Australia’s Demsey McKean, a former sparring partner of two-times world champion Anthony Joshua, will fight on the undercard of the Usyk v Fury clash.
“I’m just a teenager from Chatham and it’s crazy that I’m here on the same table as Tyson Fury – I’m grateful,” Itauma said.
“I’m living this up as much as I can.”
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title belt on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, Ring Magazine announced on Friday.
The Ukrainian three-times undisputed champion holds the IBF, WBA and WBC titles after vacating the WBO belt.
The 39-year-old has not boxed since beating Britain’s Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last July.
“I respect his (Verhoeven’s) journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings,” said Usyk, who has a 24-0 record.
“I’m ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
The ‘Glory in Giza’ fight will be streamed live on DAZN.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven, 36, told The Ring.
“But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger; it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed champion in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
Verhoeven has sparred in the past with former champion Tyson Fury and had one professional bout in 2014, which he won by a knockout.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off in a professional rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix, the fighters and promoters announced on Monday.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return from retirement and will be the first professional boxing match held at the Sphere.
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
That bout generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” Mayweather said in a statement.
Pacquiao, whose record stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts, expressed confidence he would hand Mayweather his first professional loss.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” the Filipino fighter said.
The rematch will stream to Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers worldwide, continuing the platform’s push into live boxing.
The streaming platform has recently broadcast several high-profile fights, including Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the company said drew 108 million live global viewers
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Former multi-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather will come out of retirement this year for his first official fight in nearly a decade, his new promotion CSI Sports/Fight Sports said on Friday, though his opponent has yet to be decided.
Before his official return, Mayweather is set for an exhibition bout with fellow boxing great Mike Tyson, with the date and venue still to be announced.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing – from my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards – no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event – than my events,” Mayweather, 48, said in a statement on his new promotion’s website.
It will mark the American’s fourth comeback from retirement, following previous exits in 2007, 2015 and 2017 — the last after beating Conor McGregor to extend his record to 50-0. He has, however, fought several exhibitions since.
Across a three-decade career, Mayweather defeated many of his era’s top fighters and headlined the three highest‑grossing bouts in history, against Manny Pacquiao, McGregor and Canelo Alvarez.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- WAFCON1 week ago
BREAKING: CAF Postpones WAFCON 2026
- DIPLOMACY5 days ago
Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women’s soccer players
- DIPLOMACY5 days ago
Morocco Backs Gulf Security, Condemns Iranian Attacks Against Brotherly Arab States
- World Cup5 days ago
Iraq coach calls for delay to World Cup playoff amid travel shutdown
- OBITUARY5 days ago
Breaking! Former Super Eagles Coach Adegboye Onigbinde Dies Four Days After Clocking 88
- OBITUARY4 days ago
Nigeria’s Sports Community Mourns Adegboye Onigbinde, A Life Devoted to Football
- OBITUARY1 week ago
Nigerian Sports Journalism Mourns Oyeniyi Oyeleke and Tonex Chukwu
- World Cup5 days ago
1990 World Cup Winner Riedle Backs Spain, France, Brazil for 2026 Glory