Fury weighs in at a career-high 281 pounds for the Oleksandr Usyk fight

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Sporting a heavy beard, leather jacket, jeans and shoes, Tyson Fury weighed a career-high 281 pounds Friday night at the Wonder Garden carnival for his heavyweight championship unification rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.

Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) was clean-shaven, shirtless and in sweatpants when he weighed in at 262 pounds in May. The 36-year-old was dropped in round 9 of that fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship, which he lost via split decision.

Ukraine’s Usyk, the defending heavyweight champion, weighed 226 pounds — a 55-pound difference to the challenger — in a tracksuit with a T-shirt and shoes. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist was shirtless in jeans as he tipped the scales at 223.5 for the first meet.

There is no weight limit in heavyweight boxing.

Fury’s previous career high was in February 2020 when he was 277.7 for his heavyweight championship rematch with Deontay Wilder. Fury won that fight via TKO in the seventh round. Fury boxed at distance in the December 2018 encounter with Wilder, which ended in a draw. He was 256½ for that match.

Fury also used his jab from distance against Usyk. His increased weight suggests the Gypsy King could try to fight Usyk in a similar fashion to the Wilder rematch as he implemented a seek-and-destroy strategy with nonstop pressure.

“I’m pretty slim,” Fury told ESPN last week. “Besides the big beard, I’m fine. I’m in good shape and fit as a fiddle. I’m ready for Saturday night.”

Fury camped in Malta rather than in England, where he lives, to minimize distractions. He said he has not spoken to his wife, Paris, for three months as he looks to avenge the first defeat of his illustrious career.

Fury said he is far more prepared this time around and has been sparring four times a week.

He suffered a severe cut above his left eye while sparring for the first match, which was postponed from February to May. Fury said he barely sparred in the five-week run-up because he was worried the tear would reopen.

Fury is ESPN’s no. 2-ranked heavyweights. Usyk, 37, is no. 1 pound-for-pound boxer.

The former undisputed cruiserweight champion cleaned up the 200-pound weight class and then went on to collect the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles with a pair of wins over Anthony Joshua.

Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) will compete at heavyweight for the seventh time.

Fury is listed at 6-foot-9 with an 85-inch reach. Usyk, a southpaw, is 6-3 with a reach of 78 inches.