Fury and Usyk's staring contest steals the spotlight in Saudi Arabia

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk shared an unforgettable 11-minute face-off at a press conference ahead of their heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.

The intense stare-down, which may be one of the longest in boxing history, was the highlight of an otherwise uneventful event.

The two men, who will battle for Usyk's unified heavyweight title, refused to look away, with Fury towering over Usyk.

Despite several attempts by organizers to separate them, the fighters continued to lock eyes.

At one point, a handkerchief was placed between them, and Fury, visibly sweating, taunted Usyk, calling him a "rabbit" and promising to "smash" him. Usyk responded calmly, urging Fury not to be afraid. Eventually, a shouting Fury was pulled away.

THIS WAS INTENSE! USYK AND FURY FACE OFF! 👀 😤#Usyk2Fury pic.twitter.com/rab75GLugK

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) December 19, 2024

Fury, speaking later, said he was done talking and vowed to "dish out a whole lot of pain" in the fight.

Usyk, the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years, remained focused and reiterated that the fight would take place on Saturday, despite the spectacle of the press event.

This dramatic moment capped a week of extravagant boxing events in Saudi Arabia, where the investment in the sport has transformed the atmosphere surrounding major fights.

However, it was the fighters' intense rivalry that truly stole the show.

This rematch will take place at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena with undercard fights starting from 9pm local time on Saturday, 21, December with the main walk out event set to kick off at 1am Sunday. 

Its been reported the rematch prize money is a staggering $190 million.