Longest face-offs in boxing history: Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk set new record with intense meeting
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have just completed the longest face-off in boxing history. The two heavyweight rivals, who clash in a highly-anticipated rematch this Saturday night, committed to an 11-minute staredown. Fury and Usyk stared directly at each other for 11 minutesGetty Both fighters refused to break their stares despite an incredible amount of security, media and other staff members around them. It began as expected, with Fury and Usyk stepping up to face off after a press conference of very few words. However, the atmosphere got more and more intense as they remained staring at each other for minutes on end. After around seven minutes, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman tried to step in, but they weren’t phased. Bits of card, press passes and a cloth were then put in front of Usyk to try and bring an end to the staredown. But then after some heated words were exchanged, they were finally broken after 11 minutes and 13 seconds. The longest face-off in boxing history is not a record officially kept track of by anyone, but it is fair to say this has beaten all others. Commentators on live coverage of the pre-fight press conference were left stumped trying to think of a longer one. So Fury vs Usyk 2 will now have the title of the longest and arguably most intense face-off in boxing history. But here, talkSPORT.com has taken a look at a few of the other longest face-offs ever… Bam Rodriguez vs Sunny Edwards – 7 minutes A seven-minute staredown between Bam Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards last year was one of the longest ever. Both World Champions were up for their huge unification fight, in which Rodriguez won, and that was very clear to see at their face-off. The American and Edwards stood just inches away from each other, staring straight into the eyes of their opponent. It was silent for three minutes until some verbal back-and-forth began and continued until Eddie Hearn stepped in. Although their entire clash lasted nine minutes, it was seven minutes in total before Hearn was forced to step in. You can watch their full intense staredown below… Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3 – 5 minutes 37 seconds Fury’s face-off with Usyk has beaten his previous record! But the Gypsy King appears on this list for a second time, with his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder starting intensely. The rivals had already met twice, with their first bout ending in a draw and Fury winning the second. Wilder was locked in for the staredown, wearing headphones for the entire time and not moving a muscle. Eventually, he was the one to back away from the face-off, leaving Fury standing alone in the same spot for a few seconds after. There were also many shouts from the crowd watching on as it was happening, but they didn’t budge for over five minutes. Fury and Wilder had to be separated as their face-off went past five minutesMikey Williams/Top Rank Devin Haney vs Regis Prograis – 3 minutes 40 seconds This all-American clash was very heated from the off, with their weigh-in face-off lasting almost four minutes. Devin Haney and Regis Prograis stood inches away from each other and didn’t break their stare at all. Even when promoter Hearn told them to break, they turned their bodies but didn’t stop staring. Whilst this was happening, their trainers and members of the crowd were shouting and getting involved. But they weren’t impacted and fully focused on their opponent. Haney would go on to win the bout with a masterclass performance, as he beat Prograis by unanimous decision. Haney and Prograis’ first face-off was short, but the second certainly wasn’tEd Mulholland/Matchroom Lomanchenko vs Kambosos – 3 minutes 15 seconds This was the previous longest face-off in 2024 until Fury and Usyk completely blew it out of the water. Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. faced off for over three minutes before they met in their lightweight title fight. The pair stepped in for a staredown and despite being told to break very quickly, they didn’t move at all. In fact, the announcer even said: “Face forward, gentleman…or not!” Announcements continued and the music kept playing while they stared, and it led to their trainers having to step in. Some heated words were shared as they separated and then they clashed in the ring a few days later, with Lomachenko becoming the new champion.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have just completed the longest face-off in boxing history.
The two heavyweight rivals, who clash in a highly-anticipated rematch this Saturday night, committed to an 11-minute staredown.
Both fighters refused to break their stares despite an incredible amount of security, media and other staff members around them.
It began as expected, with Fury and Usyk stepping up to face off after a press conference of very few words.
However, the atmosphere got more and more intense as they remained staring at each other for minutes on end.
After around seven minutes, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman tried to step in, but they weren’t phased.
Bits of card, press passes and a cloth were then put in front of Usyk to try and bring an end to the staredown.
But then after some heated words were exchanged, they were finally broken after 11 minutes and 13 seconds.
The longest face-off in boxing history is not a record officially kept track of by anyone, but it is fair to say this has beaten all others.
Commentators on live coverage of the pre-fight press conference were left stumped trying to think of a longer one.
So Fury vs Usyk 2 will now have the title of the longest and arguably most intense face-off in boxing history.
But here, talkSPORT.com has taken a look at a few of the other longest face-offs ever…
Bam Rodriguez vs Sunny Edwards – 7 minutes
A seven-minute staredown between Bam Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards last year was one of the longest ever.
Both World Champions were up for their huge unification fight, in which Rodriguez won, and that was very clear to see at their face-off.
The American and Edwards stood just inches away from each other, staring straight into the eyes of their opponent.
It was silent for three minutes until some verbal back-and-forth began and continued until Eddie Hearn stepped in.
Although their entire clash lasted nine minutes, it was seven minutes in total before Hearn was forced to step in.
You can watch their full intense staredown below…
Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3 – 5 minutes 37 seconds
Fury’s face-off with Usyk has beaten his previous record!
But the Gypsy King appears on this list for a second time, with his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder starting intensely.
The rivals had already met twice, with their first bout ending in a draw and Fury winning the second.
Wilder was locked in for the staredown, wearing headphones for the entire time and not moving a muscle.
Eventually, he was the one to back away from the face-off, leaving Fury standing alone in the same spot for a few seconds after.
There were also many shouts from the crowd watching on as it was happening, but they didn’t budge for over five minutes.
Devin Haney vs Regis Prograis – 3 minutes 40 seconds
This all-American clash was very heated from the off, with their weigh-in face-off lasting almost four minutes.
Devin Haney and Regis Prograis stood inches away from each other and didn’t break their stare at all.
Even when promoter Hearn told them to break, they turned their bodies but didn’t stop staring.
Whilst this was happening, their trainers and members of the crowd were shouting and getting involved.
But they weren’t impacted and fully focused on their opponent.
Haney would go on to win the bout with a masterclass performance, as he beat Prograis by unanimous decision.
Lomanchenko vs Kambosos – 3 minutes 15 seconds
This was the previous longest face-off in 2024 until Fury and Usyk completely blew it out of the water.
Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. faced off for over three minutes before they met in their lightweight title fight.
The pair stepped in for a staredown and despite being told to break very quickly, they didn’t move at all.
In fact, the announcer even said: “Face forward, gentleman…or not!”
Announcements continued and the music kept playing while they stared, and it led to their trainers having to step in.
Some heated words were shared as they separated and then they clashed in the ring a few days later, with Lomachenko becoming the new champion.
