Tyson Fury makes tongue-in-cheek comment on why he refused to stare down Oleksandr Usyk

Modified May 17, 2024 01:26 GMT

Tyson Fury (left) comments on his refusal to look at Oleksandr Usyk (right) during the Ring of Fire face-off [Photo Courtesy @tysonfury on Instagram] — Tyson Fury (left) comments on his refusal to look at Oleksandr Usyk (right) during the Ring of Fire face-off [Image Courtesy: @tysonfury on Instagram]

With the first undisputed heavyweight title fight in boxing set to commence on May 18, the pre-fight face-off between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was well documented. However, many noticed the unusual actions of the WBC champion, who refused to meet his opponent's eyeline.

When asked about his decision to face the crowd instead of looking directly at Usyk, Fury told Sky Sports Boxing that 'The Cat' is a "scary-looking dude." Some fans speculated if Fury was truly fearful of the Ukranian or merely nonchalant but 'The Gypsy King' would refuse to elaborate on his comment.

When asked about the staredown by the Sky Sports Boxing reporter, Fury said:

"He's [Oleksandr Usyk] a scary-looking dude"

Check out Tyson Fury's comments below:

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In the third attempt to book the 'Ring of Fire' event, Fury and Usyk will meet in the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the pay-per-view event beginning at 12 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. GMT.

Watch Sky Sports Boxing's full interview with Tyson Fury below:

Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk preview

Though the betting lines previously had Tyson Fury as the favorite to become the first unified heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, the odds have now shifted to near even, suggesting a highly competitive bout on May 18.

As the more pronounced star in boxing, Fury, 35, has been the WBC heavyweight titleholder since knocking out Deontay Wilder in 2020. 'The Gypsy King' previously held The Ring belt as well but relinquished that title after retiring in 2022.

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At 34-0-1, Fury has attempted to retire undefeated on several occasions but continues to be enticed back into the ring and now enters the biggest fight of his career.

Though many fans have considered Fury to be the best heavyweight in the world for several years, Oleksandr Usyk will enter their matchup with more titles. Since beating Anthony Joshua in 2021, Usyk has held the WBA, WBO, IBO, and IBF divisional titles while also picking up The Ring belt the following year.