Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk preview the face off between the in February for a World Heavyweight Title unification bout in Saudi Arabia
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00:00 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the launch press conference.
00:29 For Ring of Fire, Fury vs. Usyk, undisputed, to be held on February 17th, 2024, in Riyadh,
00:40 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
00:44 Let's first welcome the manager of Oleksandr Usyk, Mr. Agus Glebes.
01:05 Let's welcome the promoter of Oleksandr Usyk, Mr. Alex Krasiuk of K2 Promotions.
01:30 And now let's welcome from Ukraine, undefeated with 21 wins, 14 of his 21 wins come by way
01:55 of knockout.
01:56 He is the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion and reigning IBF, WBA, WBO
02:05 and IBO heavyweight champion of the world, Oleksandr Usyk!
02:14 If you had one shot, one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, just one moment,
02:33 just let it slip, yo.
02:49 Let's now welcome the manager of Tyson Fury, Spencer Brown of Gold Star Promotions.
03:08 Let's now welcome Hall of Fame promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions.
03:34 And now let's welcome from England, undefeated with 34 wins, one draw, 24 of his 34 wins
03:44 coming by way of knockout.
03:46 He is the lineal heavyweight world champion and reigning WBC heavyweight champion of the
03:54 world, known as the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury!
04:17 And now here is the host of today's press conference, Mr. Dev Sani.
04:33 Thank you, thank you very much Thomas Treiber, great intros there.
04:37 Hello, welcome wherever you are joining us around the world here today for what is very
04:41 simply a very special moment.
04:45 At the highest level of sport and entertainment, it is all about creating moments, moments
04:52 that capture the attention of the world, moments that create memories that last a lifetime.
04:58 And we believe on February the 17th, we will deliver you one of those very, very special
05:06 moments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we continue Riyadh season.
05:11 The first undisputed world heavyweight champion of this century will be crowned.
05:17 Two unbeaten heavyweights at the peak of their powers, at the very best, will be colliding
05:23 in a fight that the fans have been crying out for.
05:26 The WBC and long reigning lineal world heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, collides with the unified
05:35 world heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Rusik, at the Kingdom Arena in a history making bout
05:42 that fans will never forget.
05:44 The winner of this fight will be the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox
05:49 Lewis in 1999.
05:53 It's a huge event and the Ring of Fire is the name of the event, the biggest fight in
05:57 world boxing.
05:58 It will be presented to fans worldwide by the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi
06:03 Arabia in conjunction with Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions, the NEC, Goldstar Promotions
06:10 and Gypsy King, Bob Arum's Top Rank Incorporated, K2 Promotions, U617 Promotions and Sela.
06:19 On behalf of Queensbury, we would like to once again express our gratitude, our heartfelt
06:24 thanks to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman.
06:30 [Applause]
06:35 And of course, we would again like to extend our thanks to the Chairman of the General
06:40 Entertainment Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency, Turkey Al-Alshaikh.
06:46 [Applause]
06:50 And of course, a special thanks to all of the teams of the GEA, Riyadh Season and Sela
06:55 as we continue to work together to deliver historic nights that the Kingdom will never
07:02 forget.
07:03 A special mention of course to Bob Arum of Top Rank Incorporated.
07:07 He is still going, he is still flying the flag, he's promoting a show tonight in the
07:11 States which is why he can't be with us.
07:13 So best of luck Bob, best of luck Top Rank with that show tonight.
07:16 I'm sure we will be tuning in.
07:19 Before we begin, let's just take a moment to talk about our wonderful hosts in Saudi
07:24 Arabia in Riyadh Season for this sensational event on February 17th.
07:29 Riyadh Season has simply become one of the most widely anticipated events of the year,
07:35 welcoming millions of visitors from all over the world since 2019 with quite breathtaking
07:41 experiences.
07:42 Whether it's five-star dining, live concerts or high-level sports that you're looking for,
07:48 Riyadh Season is the place to find it.
07:51 And just last month, boxing had the privilege of opening up Riyadh Season, of course with
07:55 the man sat just there, Tyson Fury taking on Francis Ngannou in an unforgettable event,
08:01 certainly an event I will never forget that had the world talking and the world will be
08:06 talking for decades and decades to come.
08:09 On February 17th, history will be made in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and either Tyson
08:15 Fury or Oleksandr Usyk will be crowned the new undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.
08:23 We can't wait for this one.
08:25 Let's bring in first Hall of Fame boxing promoter, Frank Warren.
08:30 Frank, this is a pivotal moment in boxing.
08:34 This is absolutely huge.
08:37 Talk to us a little bit about this event.
08:38 First of all, I want to thank His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman for his support and help
08:49 in making this happen.
08:50 And to His Excellency, the Chairman of GEA, His Excellency Turkey Al-Arshaik, he's been
08:59 absolutely brilliant in getting this together and giving the support to make this historic
09:04 event happen.
09:06 This is a historic event.
09:08 The whole world of boxing has been waiting for this for I can't tell you how long, many,
09:13 many years.
09:14 And they now got the biggest fight in sport.
09:16 That is thanks to you and your team making it happen.
09:21 We greatly appreciate that.
09:24 For me as a boxing fan, I'm a promoter, but I am a boxing fan, it doesn't get any better
09:29 than this.
09:30 We've got it here at the table.
09:32 Two great fighters, both undefeated.
09:34 17th of February, Riyadh, in the Riyadh season, you're going to see a magnificent fight.
09:41 It will be magnificent because they are magnificent boxers.
09:47 The styles will make it a good fight and I'm sure that all around the world, everybody's
09:51 going to be tuning to see history being made.
09:53 The first time this century, we will have a unified champion.
09:58 Watch it.
09:59 Be there.
10:00 Watch it.
10:01 Watch it happen, be at the time to see it.
10:03 Watch this moment in boxing history, in sporting history, because they come along very, very
10:08 rarely.
10:09 Look, we've heard about this fight for a little while.
10:13 We are finally here now.
10:14 We saw the huge launch press conference yesterday as well of the Day of Reckoning.
10:18 It feels like with Riyadh season, with His Excellency involved, anything's possible right
10:23 now, Frank.
10:24 It is.
10:25 I mean, look at yesterday.
10:26 Yesterday was, as I said, it's a game changer.
10:29 Well, this is a double game changer.
10:30 You know, it's just happening.
10:32 You know, these fights, you know, we've all been, you know, as a promoter, I've been banging
10:36 my head against the wall.
10:37 I know the fans have been doing that.
10:38 They've been banging my head against the wall because they want to see these fights and
10:42 now they're happening.
10:43 And to crown it all, we've got the creme de la creme.
10:47 This is it.
10:48 The creme de la creme.
10:50 The heavyweight division.
10:52 The big division in boxing.
10:54 These two undefeated, magnificent fighters are going to be facing up each other and we're
11:01 going to see who's the best.
11:02 I know who I believe is the best and I'm sure the other side think their man will be.
11:08 And if they want to have a little wager with me, I'd gladly have a wager with them because
11:11 I'm confident that our man, this man here, who has also, by the way, been voted today
11:18 the world's sexiest man in a poll.
11:21 He beat Ronaldo.
11:27 Ronaldo was second and Tommy was 13th.
11:31 So now you know.
11:32 So now I've got bragging rights in the family.
11:34 Tommy, you ugly bastard, if you're watching, number 13.
11:37 And I just want to say a big shout out to everyone who supported me, all my friends
11:41 and family for this moment.
11:43 Very, very special.
11:44 Sexiest sportsman alive.
11:46 Never say never, people.
11:48 Always believe in yourself.
11:50 If you're fat and you're bald, you're probably going to get laid.
11:53 Get up!
11:54 That's great news.
11:59 Congratulations on that, Tyson.
12:00 Just quickly, Frank, before we move on to Alex Krasick, I just want you to break down
12:04 this great fight with me.
12:06 We've got the world's sexiest sportsman against Oleksandr Usyk here.
12:10 Break down the fight for me.
12:11 How's it going to go?
12:12 Look, I can only say based upon how I've seen Tyson's last few fights and Alex's last few
12:21 fights.
12:22 And you'd expect, obviously, people would say, well, they're both boxers.
12:27 Tyson's a switch hitter.
12:29 Alex is a southpaw.
12:31 But on the night, you never know.
12:34 I just think it'll be a fight.
12:36 There's a lot at stake here.
12:38 And all I know, in Tyson's last four or five fights, he stood toe to toe.
12:43 He stood toe to toe with the biggest punching heavyweight in the last 40 years.
12:48 And that duped him.
12:51 You know, it was exciting.
12:53 And that's what he's capable of.
12:54 He can box.
12:55 He's got fast hands.
12:57 He's got a great boxing brain.
13:00 And he copes and adapts to each situation.
13:02 And I genuinely do believe this will be exciting whilst it lasts.
13:07 And I mean whilst it lasts.
13:09 This is going to be something special.
13:11 >> All right, thank you very much, Frank.
13:13 Let's bring in Alex Krasik here.
13:15 You've just heard from Frank.
13:17 He says it's going to be exciting while the fight lasts.
13:21 From your side, this must be quite a proud moment.
13:24 You've been with Alexander for many, many years now.
13:27 And he's finally going for undisputed World Heavyweight Championship crown.
13:31 Talk to us.
13:32 >> Dev, thanks for giving me the floor.
13:36 Ladies and gentlemen, I must warn you, I have a speech to announce and it will take a while.
13:46 To say I'm delighted to be here is to say nothing.
13:49 Of course, everyone understands this.
13:51 We have been chasing this fight for so long and finally it's happening.
13:55 And I can hardly believe, and I will probably start believing when I hear the first bell
14:00 ring, but we are making steps towards it.
14:06 You know what?
14:08 I want to emphasize something very important for me.
14:11 I never used this opportunity, the public opportunity to do so.
14:17 And this is actually first time.
14:19 So I would like to express my sincere admiration, my respect and honor to the man who's sitting
14:26 next to me on my left.
14:30 We are all here because of him.
14:34 Because due to his dedication, due to his faith in God and in himself, due to the tremendously
14:42 hard work, we have started our journey long 10 years ago when we signed the professional
14:49 boxing co-promotional contract.
14:52 And within this time, all people know what's been achieved.
14:59 But I never used the chance to thank this man, Usyk, except my most sincere gratitude
15:08 for your trust and friendship and for giving me the opportunity to be your promoter throughout
15:16 all this period.
15:18 It's the highest recognition for me to be with you since your pro debut until the culmination
15:26 of your career.
15:27 Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you for a round of applause for this so humble, but so powerful
15:32 man.
15:34 Thank you.
15:36 I also want to arouse my delightedness with his excellency, Turkey Alal Sheikh.
15:43 When I first met this man, I felt the endless source of inspiration, of energy and of motivation.
15:50 The perpetual engine, the man who is capable of achieving the impossible.
16:03 People like him create age revolutions and I'm pretty convinced his excellency is on
16:08 the way of making the revolution in professional boxing and not only.
16:13 Your excellency.
16:14 Thank you very much.
16:20 The third man I want to talk about before he stands up and starts to walk around the
16:25 table.
16:27 Tyson Fury.
16:31 Thank you very much, brother, for your courage and bravery to accept the fight with the future
16:39 undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
16:43 Thank you so much.
16:44 Let the fight go on.
16:45 You're welcome.
16:46 You're welcome.
16:47 I'm going to ring with a future heavyweight undisputed champion, me.
16:51 Youse are all dossers.
16:52 He's getting knocked out and youse two are going to be working for me, Kerry, and me
16:56 bag slinks.
16:57 So remember that.
16:58 Remember I said it on this stage.
16:59 Let the fight go on.
17:00 Let the best man win and let the belts come back home to Ukraine.
17:09 Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
17:10 I only believe one Ukrainian of all the belts.
17:12 Glory to the heroes.
17:13 That idiot of the belts I gave him, including my ring magazine that I only vacated last
17:19 year, so I can win it back three times, sausage.
17:25 I'm going to bust him.
17:26 Sausage, ugly little man, rabbit.
17:29 Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.
17:33 I don't want to more, more.
17:35 You know what's coming.
17:36 You're getting smashed to pieces, sausage.
17:38 You're fighting the best British heavyweight there's ever been.
17:41 The fucking dauntless in these waters, me.
17:44 You beat all the rest of them, but you ain't beat Tyson Fury yet, sausage.
17:49 Look at him.
17:50 His heart's pounding now.
17:51 He's like a little pussy with an earring in.
17:52 Shit house.
17:55 His bollocks have swiveled up now, they have.
17:57 Little sausage.
17:58 I don't more speak.
17:59 A sissy with an earring in.
18:00 You fucking pussy.
18:01 I'm very happy to be here.
18:05 Thank you so much, everybody, people.
18:07 I more speak in the ring.
18:09 Very good.
18:12 Very good.
18:16 Thank you.
18:17 Get knocked out, motherfucker.
18:18 Out cold, sausage.
18:19 Rabbit.
18:20 And you two promoters are going to be working for me as bag carriers.
18:25 We will see, yeah.
18:26 Yeah, we will see.
18:28 You can't beat me.
18:30 You can never beat me.
18:31 If you beat me in your dreams, you better wake up and apologize.
18:34 I stole that from Ali, by the way.
18:38 Enough?
18:39 Do you have a response?
18:43 Let's go ahead.
18:44 Hey, my friend.
18:45 That was a small break.
18:46 You stop?
18:47 Maybe enough?
18:48 Sorry?
18:49 Enough?
18:50 Enough what?
18:51 You stop?
18:52 You stop talk?
18:53 I come here to pick a fight.
18:54 I didn't come here to play games.
18:55 I didn't get all dressed up for nothing.
18:56 I come here to fight.
18:57 I'll pick one even.
18:58 I'm not going to let you go.
18:59 I'm not going to let you go.
19:00 I'm not going to let you go.
19:01 I'm not going to let you go.
19:02 I'm not going to let you go.
19:03 I'm not going to let you go.
19:04 I'm not going to let you go.
19:05 I'm not going to let you go.
19:06 I'm not going to let you go.
19:07 I'm not going to let you go.
19:08 I'm not going to let you go.
19:09 I'm not going to let you go.
19:10 I'm not going to let you go.
19:11 I'm not going to let you go.
19:12 I'm not going to let you go.
19:13 I'm not going to let you go.
19:14 I'm not going to let you go.
19:15 I'm not going to let you go.
19:16 I'm not going to let you go.
19:17 I'm not going to let you go.
19:18 I'm not going to let you go.
19:19 I'm not going to let you go.
19:20 I'm not going to let you go.
19:21 I'm not going to let you go.
19:22 I'm not going to let you go.
19:23 I'm not going to let you go.
19:24 I'm not going to let you go.
19:25 I'm not going to let you go.
19:26 I'm not going to let you go.
19:27 Perfect size.
19:28 Perfect size.
19:29 Thank you, Tyson.
19:30 Thank you, Alexander.
19:31 We'll come back to that very shortly.
19:32 I just want to hear from, I want to bring in Spencer Brown at this point.
19:33 Spencer, you've obviously been working very closely on this event with Queensbury, with
19:34 His Excellency as well.
19:35 You sat there next to Tyson, who's telling Alexander exactly what he's going to do.
19:36 Tell us your thoughts heading into this one.
19:37 My thoughts are very, very, very quick and very easy.
19:38 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
19:39 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
19:40 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
19:41 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
19:42 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
19:43 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.
20:07 I don't think there's anybody alive who can beat Tyson Fury.