Usyk trolls Fury

Oleksandr Usyk revived one of boxing’s strangest press-conference stunts by getting Tyson Fury to sign a photo of himself being hit, and the bit is now back in circulation ahead of Usyk’s May 23 fight in Giza. (x.com) The original moment happened on October 23, 2024, when Usyk and Fury met at London’s Guildhall to promote their December 21 rematch in Riyadh. Usyk arrived dressed like Agent 47 from “Hitman,” opened a briefcase and produced photos from their first fight for Fury to autograph. (espn.com.au) Reuters reported that the signed image showed Fury being punched in the face by Usyk during their first bout, which Usyk won by split decision in Riyadh in May 2024. Fury joked, “I look like Shrek,” before signing it. (channelnewsasia.com) That clip matters again because Usyk is now scheduled to headline a May 23, 2026 event at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt against Rico Verhoeven, the longtime kickboxing champion. DAZN and ESPN both reported the show as a heavyweight title event tied to Usyk’s return after the Fury series. (dazn.com) (espn.com) The social-media posts now being shared frame the old Fury exchange as part of the promotion for Giza, even though the footage itself is from the 2024 rematch buildup in London. The recycled clip lets promoters borrow a familiar Usyk image: quiet on the microphone, sharp with props. (x.com) (espn.com.au) Usyk’s first win over Fury made him the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, before he later vacated the International Boxing Federation title. By the October 2024 press conference, the rematch was set for the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization belts rather than all four major titles. (espn.com.au) (channelnewsasia.com) Fury did not treat the stunt as hostile theater at the time. Reuters described the event as “low-key and good-natured,” and Fury later tickled Usyk during the staredown as the audience laughed. (channelnewsasia.com) The Giza promotion gives that old image a second life: Usyk, a briefcase, and Fury signing his own bad moment. In boxing, a prop from October 2024 is now doing work again for a fight scheduled for May 23, 2026. (x.com) (dazn.com)