OLEKSANDR USYK x TYSON FURY FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
RIYADH – (December 19, 2024) – Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) and former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) held their final press conference today at the Riyadh Season ahead of their highly anticipated rematch on Saturday, December 21 live worldwide on DAZN PPV (11 a.m. ET) from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Further action on the card will feature former WBC 154-pound interim titleholder Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) who will face British boxer Ishmael Davis (13-1, 6 KOs) in a 12-round super welterweight bout, after Israil Madrimov was forced to withdraw due to illness. Rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma (22-0, 10 KOs) will take on Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs), as well as undefeated Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), who squares off against former Commonwealth title challenger Dave Allen (23-6, 18 KOs).
Former Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Peter McGrail (10-1, 6 KOs) takes on last-minute replacement Rhys Edwards (16-0, 4 KOs) in a super featherweight bout, and Scotland’s Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs) will face former IBO Super Bantamweight title challenger Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 11 KOs) in a featherweight bout.
Also in action are unbeaten Daniel Lapin (10-0, 4 KOs) taking on fellow undefeated lightweight prospect Dylan Colin (14-0, 4 KOs), knockout artist Andrii Novytskyi (14-0, 10 KOs) facing off against Edgar Ramirez (10-1-1, 4 KOs) in a heavyweight clash, and local talent Mohammed Alakel (1-0) squaring off against Joshua Ocampo (8-33-5, 6 KOs).
The entire card will be available on DAZN platforms worldwide starting at 11 a.m ET.
This is what the fighters and their teams had to say:
Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs)
Q: What is it all about for you on Saturday night?
“Now we just have the performance. Talks, cameras, lights, kind of show. Everything is going to be taking place Saturday night on the 21st.”
Q: What is your final message to Tyson before Saturday?
“Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”
Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs)
Q: What is this fight all about for Tyson Fury on Saturday night?
“I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain.”
Q: There seems to be an extra menace about you this week?
“I’ve got nothing to say apart from there’s going to be a whole lot of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch. The talking’s been done. The first fight, I talked, I joked, all my career. This time I’m serious, I’m going to do some damage here on Saturday night. Watch me go to work.”
Q: What do you want to tell Usyk ahead of Saturday night?
“I can’t wait for Saturday night. Thank you everybody involved. God bless.”
Frank Warren, Founder and Chairman, Queensberry Promotions
Q: Talk to us about Saturday’s event and how you’re backing your man, Tyson Fury
“The biggest fight is happening on Saturday night. The rematch. The first fight was magnificent, it was a great fight. It had everything, a very close fight, a cigarette paper in the decision. This time around, I know these guys, they’ve shared the ring together for 12 rounds. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s going to be about who can exploit the weaknesses, who has the strength to exploit the weaknesses. I believe Tyson Fury will come through this, and I don’t believe this fight will go the distance. He’s in great shape, a great frame of mind for this fight. Fighting mode. We’re going to get an extra, extra, extra special event. Do not blink after the first bell.”
Eddie Hearn, Chairman, Matchroom Boxing
Q: Are you supporting Tyson Fury in this fight?
“Regarding the main event, I’ve got a lot of history with Oleksandr Usyk, but I am backing Tyson Fury. Of course, he’s the Brit. People ask me all the time, “who’s going to win this fight?” and I’ve said this: Oleksandr Usyk is an incredible fighter and it will take something extraordinary to beat him on Saturday night. But, and I know we’ve had our differences, Tyson Fury is capable of extraordinary things. His victory against Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, I watched that on a laptop in a hotel in America, I thought he had absolutely no chance. He won every single round. When he fought Deontay Wilder in America, I thought he had absolutely no chance. He was robbed in the first fight, he smashed him to pieces in the second fight. Two generational great heavyweights, two credits to the sport. May God bless you both on Saturday night, but most of all, I can’t believe I’m saying it, may Tyson Fury be victorious on Saturday night for Britain and get the championship back.”
Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Boxing
Q: Give us your thoughts on Saturday night and where it stands historically as well.
“I’m not going to talk about great fights and great fighters because it will be a great fight, and these are great fighters. I’m not only Tyson Fury’s co-promoter, I am also a Tyson Fury fan. If anyone watched the second Wilder fight, Tyson knew what he had to do and won that fight in a real one-sided way. I’m looking forward to him fighting in that way again, and being successful on Saturday night. That being said, he’s fighting a tough, skilled Ukrainian. Personally, like many Americans, I am so proud of his people, how hard they have been fighting, and what they have been accomplishing. Oleksandr Usyk typifies the strength of Ukraine, but on Saturday night he’s fighting one of the best heavyweights of all time, Tyson Fury. I’m very confident that our man Tyson will emerge victorious.”
Sergey Lapin (Oleksandr Usyk’s Team Director)
Q: You’ve got 12 rounds of data now as a team. What’s going to happen on Saturday, have you had to change much?
“This upcoming Saturday, we will have the battle of two great champions, where the current champion will prove to the other that he is the stronger man. Usyk is the champion and you will see that on Saturday night.”
Egis Klimas (Oleksandr Usyk’s Manager)
Q: Tell us why he (Usyk) will get the job done?
“Listen, Oleksandr Usyk has been the champion on the road. He’s a warrior on the road. In May, Oleksandr Usyk proved to the whole world when he became the undisputed champion of the world, winning against Tyson Fury. We don’t have anything else to prove. We did everything, every fight that Oleksandr fought, he never fought at home. He fought in the UK, in the United States, then he came here to fight in Riyadh, it’s always on the road. Now, after he’s already been undisputed we’re coming here and we have to prove again, which is no problem. We will see Saturday night once again who is Oleksandr Usyk.”
Alex Krassyuk (Head Promoter, K2 Promotions)
Q: Last time we had a press conference, you had a lovely short poem for us. I’m curious what you have for us tonight?
“Who could ever imagine that a small common young kid from Crimea, one day becomes the two-time undisputed champion? His dream came true, our dream came true, his fans dreams came true. There is a man in the kingdom who has a habit of making dreams come true. Your excellency, thank you very much.”
“And one more gratitude goes to the Gypsy King. We know that he is not very good at making the rematches, but we must admit that courage and bravery lives in his heart. Tyson, thank you for being here.”
“Just one day separates us from the battle and from its outcome. May strength and valor accompany them in the battle. Good luck to both of them and let the best man win, again.”
Spencer Brown (Tyson Fury’s Manager and Founder, Goldstar Promotions)
Q: You’ve heard from Egis Klimas. What is the case for Tyson Fury?
“Tyson’s had an amazing camp, he’s lived like a monk. As you can see, he’s very focused. He thinks that he’s had something taken off him and he wants it back. On Saturday night, he will get it back. Don’t underestimate a gypsy man, a traveling man from Lancaster, who has fighting in his blood. He’s very focused and we believe on Saturday night, he’s going to bring that belt back to England where it belongs.”
Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs)
Q: You’ve heard it all week. All the talks about what Moses can do and what he’s going to go on to achieve. You are a 6 foot 6 Australian tower, and you’ve got your own plans, right?
“First and foremost, I’d like to thank His Excellency and the beautiful kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting us and giving us the platform to be able to come here and fight and showcase it all. Yeah…it’s all the Moses show isn’t it. But, I don’t mind that. I’m used to being the underdog and I’ve had a really good training camp, my sparring has been good and I’m ready to disrupt the Moses show on Saturday.”
Moses Itauma (10-1, 8 KOs)
Q: You’ve just heard from the man (Demsey McKean) who’s looking to disrupt the Moses Itauma show on Saturday. What are you thinking?
“Listen, I’m just a teenager from Chatham, it’s mad that I’m on the same table as Tyson Fury, Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn, Oleksandr Usyk. I’m just grateful for this opportunity, I’m going to take it with both hands. I’m not looking past Demsey McKean. For me, this is like my world title fight.”
Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs)
Q: Dave Allen sounds ready to go. He said he feels “very, very confident” of upsetting you on Saturday night. What’s going on in your head Johnny?
“Would expect nothing less from Dave Allen, the White Rhino, to be ready to go. That’s what we’ve trained for these past 12 weeks. I’ve been training for longer than that though, I’ve been training for four long years, and now this is my time to show people what I can do.”
Q: What happens when you put a rhino and a bull together?
“There’s a possibility for some carnage for sure. Put a rhinoceros and a bull in the same ring and there are bound to be some fireworks. I’m not going to take a backwards step, and I’m sure that he won’t either. I’m doing this for my family. I’m doing this to make everyone proud that comes to support me, but I’m also doing it for the people at home. You all give me strength everytime I fight.”
Q: Can we expect a big knockout on Saturday night?
“Winning is all that matters, victory at all costs. It’s an honor to be on such a big card, but I’m aware of what my job is. My job is to beat Dave Allen, whether that’s in Saudi Arabia, somewhere back in England, or anywhere around the world. This just happens to be on the biggest stage on the biggest platform. My job stays the same, win.”
Q: Do you have a message for Dave Allen?
“As you said he’s a good friend, but there are no friends in that boxing ring and on Saturday night we’ll be trading leather. I’m sure that I’ll shake his hand before, and that I’ll shake his hand after, but for now and when we’re in that ring we’re enemies.”
Dave Allen (23-6, 18 KOs)
Q: Do you think Johnny Fisher might be nervous going into this fight?
“Yeah, I think so. I am, we both should be. It’s a huge occasion, it’s a huge fight. Johnny Fisher, someone asked me last night, you’re good friends. I’ve got a son, if he grows up to be half the man Johnny Fisher is I’d be a happy man. This is not personal, this is sport. But, I’m very confident I will do the job. I’ve worked really hard and I genuinely believe this is my time to finally fulfill my potential.”
Q: You’ve sparred Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Curious, what do you think will happen in the main event?
“The two best heavyweights of my generation. I’m a huge fan of both, everyone knows the regard I hold them both in. I personally foresee a Fury win, but these two are the greatest heavyweights of my time and I’m so fortunate to be here and witness it in person. Hopefully it can be half as good as last time.”
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ABOUT OLEKSANDR USYK VS. TYSON FURY 2: REIGNITED
Undisputed Heavyweight World Champion Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) faces former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) in a highly anticipated rematch on December 21, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live worldwide on DAZN PPV. The blockbuster main event will be complemented by a stellar undercard featuring elite talent across multiple divisions, including a clash between former WBC 154-pound interim titleholder Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and British boxer Ishmael Davis (13-1, 6 KOs) in a 12-round super welterweight bout and a heavyweight showdown between top teenage prospect Moses Itauma (22-0, 10 KOs) and Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs). Also in action are undefeated Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs) squaring off against former Commonwealth title challenger Dave Allen (23-6, 18 KOs), former Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Peter McGrail (10-1, 6 KOs) taking on last-minute replacement Rhys Edwards (16-0, 4 KOs) in a super featherweight bout, and Scotland’s Isaac Lowe (25-2-3, 8 KOs) facing former IBO Super Bantamweight title challenger Lee McGregor (14-1-1, 11 KOs) in a featherweight bout. Plus, unbeaten Daniel Lapin (10-0, 4 KOs) taking on fellow undefeated lightweight prospect Dylan Colin (14-0, 4 KOs), knockout artist Andrii Novytskyi (14-0, 10 KOs) facing off against Edgar Ramirez (10-1-1, 4 KOs) in a heavyweight clash, and local talent Mohammed Alakel (1-0) squaring off against Joshua Ocampo (8-33-5, 6 KOs).
DAZN subscribers can access the fight via the DAZN app on any device, from smart TVs to smartphones and tablets, with no additional contracts or hidden fees. For more information and to purchase the fight, please visit www.dazn.com.