Fury vs Usyk 2 LIVE: Latest news and updates from open workouts in title fight build-up

Super-bantamweight Peter McGrail is in the ring next for some shadow boxing.

You’d assume he’d be followed by opponent Rhys Edwards, who is stepping in for Dennis McCann, after McCann was pulled from Saturday’s card for failing a drug test...

But we’re onto Lee McGregor instead; he boxes Fury’s teammate Isaac Lowe at featherweight this weekend.

Lowe is out after McGregor, to the sound of “Ain’t Nobody” by Rufus and Chaka Khan. Stone, cold, classic.

Novytskyi keeps it nice and loose during his workout, hopping about, looking as if he’s enjoying the music as much as his pad work.

None of the fighters are spending much time in the ring. Will Fury and Usyk get a bit longer?

Dylan Colin is up next. He does some barehand pad work and shadow boxing now, ahead of his light-heavyweight clash with Daniel Lapin.

And here comes Lapin, after Colin leaves the ring. Both men are unbeaten by the way...

Lapin largely bounces around, staying light on his feet, loosening up. He’s donning a pink and gold tracksuit.

Alakel with some shadow boxing, before Edgar Ramirez enters the ring for some pad work.

Ramirez fights Ukraine’s unbeaten Andrii Novytskyi on Saturday.

Here comes Novytskyi, who defends the WBC International heavyweight title against Ramirez.

First to work out is Joshua Ocampo, ahead of his bout with Mohammed Alakel.

Some impressive flexibility from Ocampo, who opens his workout by doing the splits on the canvas!

Here comes Alakel.

The open workouts are beginning any moment now! Thanks for joining us, don’t go anywhere.

In their first fight, round six looked like the beginning of the end for Usyk, who was wincing after everybody shot from Fury, who then made those clever switches to attack the head with the right uppercut.

At one point, Usyk was staggering perhaps as badly as he ever has. But then the 37-year-old, as he tends to, began to motor as the bout entered its second half, building momentum and narrowing the deficit.

And then came the fateful moment. In the ninth frame, Usyk – backing Fury up to the ropes and squaring his feet to open up the southpaw left hook – pummelled the Briton. The towering Fury was now teetering, stumbling and swaying across the ring, devoid of his senses. He was arguably saved by a strange standing count from the referee, before the bell sounded. It was a stunning visual and a moment that could have proven controversial.

But Usyk did what was crucial: He kept pressuring Fury, forcing the Briton to focus on defence. With that, Usyk arguably took the final few rounds to complete a remarkable comeback.

The scorecards threatened to deny him his destiny, as so many numbers have done to so many deserving boxers over the decades. But mercifully the judges, between them, got the decision right – just.

Report from Riyadh on the night of Usyk vs Fury 1:

Here are the latest words from Tyson Fury ahead of Saturday’s fight, and before tonight’s open workouts.

“Just for the record, I’m going to absolutely annihilate this motherf***** on Saturday night. No retirement, I’m cleaning them all out and he’s going to be first. Rabbit’s face,” Fury told DAZN.

“I was very happy with the performance [in the first fight]. I didn’t get the result I wanted, but I was happy overall with what I did. It wasn’t any different to what I thought it would be. He was easier to hit.”

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In May, we looked at the scorecards from Fury vs Usyk 1, to see if the judges got it right.

Here’s what we thought, including how we scored the bout:

As the open workouts edge closer, why not read our piece on Usyk from May – ahead of his first fight with Fury – on the Ukrainian’s role in the war with Russia?

It features interviews with Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk and other compatriots.

Fury expects to be more than a stone heavier against Usyk on Saturday than he was in May.

Ahead of their first fight, which Usyk won via split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion, Fury tipped the scales at 18.7st (262lb). Meanwhile, Usyk – a former undisputed cruiserweight champion – weighed in at 15.9st (223lb), slightly surpassing his previous career-high weight.

But ahead of Saturday’s rematch for the unified belts, after Usyk vacated the IBF title in spring, Fury will be coming in even heavier.

“[I’m] about 20st (280lb) at the moment, just over,” Fury told Sky Sports, before saying it will give him “more power in the punches”.

When asked whether his best performances have come at heavier weights, the Briton added: “I think so, yeah. When a 20st man hits you on the jaw, compared to a man at 17st, it’s a bit different for sure. I’m gonna beat him that bad on Saturday, he ain’t gonna want a rematch – but listen, I think people do a lot of stuff for a right few quid, don’t they? So, crazier things have happened.”

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