Fury v Usyk LIVE: Start time, undercard and latest updates from weigh-ins

“Hi, everybody, I am happy to be here,” Usyk said. “I’m excited, I’m grateful for his excellency Mr Turki Al-Sheikh, who made this fight happen. Let’s make history. Enough. Thank you so much.”

The Ukrainian, 37, also appeared to be scribbling something, which he referred to as his “homework”, revealing no more.

If any locals cheered, they were drowned out by a group of Ukrainian voices, supporting the Olympic champion.

Then it was Fury’s turn. “I’m gonna make this short and simple,” said the Briton, 35. “I want to thank God for the victory that I’ve received already, and I want to thank everybody involved in putting this massive event on. I want to thank Usyk for turning up and challenging me, and that’s about it.

“Thank you to all the fans who travelled over to see me, because I know it’s tough times at the moment and money is hard, so I aim to put on a show. Thank you very much, God bless. I’m ready, I’ve got nothing to say except I’m ready for a good fight – and if it’s tough or easy, I’ll be ready either way.”

This time, there were British cheers in BLVD City.

To the left of the stage, there was the green glow of a Starbucks sign and the pink and orange hue from a Dunkin’ Donuts logo.

The reality is this: The people of Riyadh do not need to be invested in this fight; the relevant figures in Saudi Arabia have invested in it, in the way that really matters. It is that investment that has enabled this fight, after all, and it is that investment that has the rest of the boxing world buzzing like the lights and signs that illuminate BLVD city.

Even employees within BLVD City, the area hosting the pre-fight events on the outskirts of town, had to ask what was going on as they pointed to the press-conference stage. “Is this boxing or UFC?” one said. The UFC is visiting Riyadh, yes, but not for another month.

“I don’t know about the boxing, but I do like football,” one taxi driver told The Independent. And so the conversation turned to Al Nassr FC, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the like. Another seemed vaguely aware of the fight, saying with a hint of hesitance and an ever-raising eyebrow: “The British guy… and the Ukrainian guy?”

Piece from the Saudi capital:

It was the cut that led to the collapse and the conspiracies: a gash over Tyson Fury’s right eye, derailing his undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk on two weeks’ notice and giving way to claims that the wound was self-inflicted.

It was the latest bump on an already rocky road, and the only fear now is that there could be one last swerve.

Usyk launched his own app to find sparring partners to imitate Fury, the Ukrainian revealed this week.

Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, has excelled since moving to heavyweight in 2019, but Fury is a notoriously awkward opponent – combining significant size with quick reflexes and high in-ring IQ.

As such, finding sparring partners who can imitate the “Gypsy King” is a difficult task, but Usyk’s team revealed how he successfully navigated that challenge – with the help of an app that uses AI.

Here’s more on that, via the Daily Mail:

Some news emerging this week, too…

Yesterday, Saudi adviser Turki Al-Sheikh clarified the timeline for Fury and Usyk’s contracted rematch, while revealing more information about Anthony Joshua’s next fight and when he could face Fury or Usyk…

Here’s all you need to know:

There has already been some drama this week, with Fury’s dad John headbutting one of Usyk’s teammates…

“Sincere apologies to everybody involved, to be honest with you,” John said later. “It’s just the way we are. Emotions and tensions are running high.

“He was a very disrespectful fella, wasn’t he? Everybody knows, if you come close in a fighting man’s space, you’re gonna cop for something, aren’t you? Or else there’s something wrong. People don’t understand, we’re the real deal as fighters.”

Reports suggest that Fury is contracted to earn around 70 per cent of a total purse thought to be worth around $150m (£116m), with a clause stating Fury must donate £1m of his earnings to Ukraine amid its ongoing war against Russia.

While the final figure will not be known until after the fight, Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum has claimed that his fighter will earn more than $100m (£78m) from the showdown.

“If you told Tyson Fury he’s set to make $100m, he’d really get p***ed off because he thinks, and I think he’s right, that he’s going to make a lot more,” said Arum. “I don’t know the number, but it’s a lot more than $100m.”