In a few hours, Saudi Arabia will come alive with the exciting matchup between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. But before the event kicks off, some controversy has surrounded the night’s main event. The pair took to the scale for their final weigh-ins on Friday at the Riyadh theme park surrounded by a Ferris wheel and spotlights dotting the air.

You see, ‘The Gypsy King’ climbed the scale, fully clothed, wearing a black leather jacket and a hat. He weighed 281 lbs—his career heaviest, and, of course, the bigger man between the duo. During their last fight in May, which Fury lost via a split decision, the Englishman weighed 262 lbs. Meanwhile, Usyk weighed 226 lbs—and during their last fight, he weighed 223.5 lbs. This drastic weight difference in Fury’s weight seems to be the center of all the discussion. 

Oleksandr Usyk overshadowed by Fury’s weight

Tyson Fury’s promoter, Queensberry Promotions, shared the weigh-in details on social media earlier today, igniting a spirited debate among fans. “That @tysonfury weight difference. All the preparation is finished. Tomorrow two of the best heavyweights will clash once again,” they wrote.

While Queensberry Promotions used Fury’s weight to hint at a potentially different outcome in the rematch, fans had their own interpretations of his increased weight. During weigh-ins, boxers often strip down to their underwear to ensure an accurate reading, primarily for meeting weight requirements. 

However, this isn’t necessary for heavyweights, as the division has no upper weight limit. True to form, Fury kept his jacket on during the weigh-in. This decision, combined with Fury coming in a staggering 55 pounds heavier than Usyk, sparked a flurry of reactions. 

Fans speculated that Fury’s jacket alone might have accounted for a significant portion of the extra weight, fueling further discussions ahead of the fight.

How much does Tyson Fury actually weigh?

With the excitement surrounding the fight, it didn’t take long for fans to clamor behind the post as they shared their thoughts. One user speculated that Fury’s jacket could potentially be nearly nine pounds. “I don’t think [I have] ever seen a weigh-in like that before. That full leather jacket’s got to be about 4kg,” the user wrote. Fighters can weigh in as they like, as long as they meet the weight limit. For Fury, there’s no downside, as there’s no weight limit to the heavyweight division. 

Another user felt Fury looked way slimmer for his final weight during the grand arrivals for the fight. “Fury has layers on. When he first arrived, he looked slim af,” the user commented. While clothing can add some extra pounds, in the grand scheme of things, Fury was still heavier than Usyk. 

Someone else questioned how much the jacket could have weighed. “How much [is] the Leather jacket?” the user asked. However, that piece of information is currently unavailable. 

The next user refused to believe Tyson Fury weighed 281lbs. The user wrote, “With his clothing full on and weights in his pockets,” the user wrote. However, there’s no evidence that Fury intentionally increased his weight. 

One user came up with a hypothetical number for what they thought Fury actually weighed. “I reckon he’s around 274 without the layers,” the user wrote. Well, fans will never know whether that’s really true. 

That being said, with fight night just hours in the distance, fans are watching every little detail about the highly anticipated fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Regardless, do you think this was all part of Fury’s mind games to make it seem like he came way overweight?