Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk: Sports and Hollywood celebrities descend on Riyadh for first undisputed heavyweight title showdown after 25 years
The highly anticipated Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk showdown on Saturday night has attracted a constellation of prominent A-listers to the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The impending 12-round showdown is poised to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, echoing Lennox Lewis' achievement a quarter-century ago. Currently, Usyk commands the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts, while Fury has the WBC title.
Fury and Usyk were initially slated to square off last December, but their clash was delayed by two months due to the Brit's demanding victory over Francis Ngannou. Furthermore, 'The Gypsy King' experienced a cut during one of his final sparring sessions for the February bout, causing an additional three-month setback to the fight.
The historic significance of today's showdown drew notable celebrities from both the sporting and Hollywood spheres. Among the first to be seen arriving at the arena was former English football star Steven Gerrard.
Furthermore, boxing legends Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield and current heavyweight Derek Chisora were spotted seated side by side.
Former legendary multiple weight class titleholder and boxing Hall of Famer Roberto Duran was also seen commencing his evening with a welcome drink upon his arrival.
American actor and director Liev Schreiber was captured engaging in a moment of camaraderie with English boxing promoter and founder of Queensberry Promotions, Frank Warren, amid the vibrant ambiance of the Kingdom Arena.
Surrounded by luminaries, former unified heavyweight champion and potential future opponent for the winner of Fury vs. Usyk, Anthony Joshua was photographed seated ringside alongside his promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Among the other celebrities, prominent social media influencer and Tajikistani singer Abdu Rozik made a grand entrance into the arena, clad in traditional Arabic attire known as Jubbah, while holding a replica of the WBC title.
Additionally, in a familiar sight at major boxing events in Riyadh, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo was observed seated shoulder-to-shoulder with 'AJ' and Saudi advisor and the mastermind behind Riyadh Season, Turki Alalshikh.