The emotional reason why Oleksandr Usyk carries Eeyore toy with him to fights ahead of Tyson Fury rematch
Oleksandr Usyk is one of the most feared boxers on the planet but will be carrying a Disney toy with him for his blockbuster rematch against Tyson Fury.
One of the most highly-anticipated rematches in boxing history goes down tonight at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Fury looking to avenge his only loss in professional boxing.
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years after being awarded a split-decision victory against the Brit back in May.
Both men have made huge changes coming into the bout, weighing in at their career-heaviest weights. Fury tipped the scales at 281 pounds with Usyk significantly lighter at 226 pounds but fans have pointed to Fury’s bulky attire as a potential reason for the inflated value.
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One thing that will not change for Usyk is a pre-fight tradition involving a Disney toy from Winnie the Pooh.
Usyk was spotted with the stuffed animal for the first time in 2022 following his rematch against Anthony Joshua and was pictured holding the toy as he arrived at the arena for the first Fury bout.
The Ukrainian revealed the emotional reason he will always be seen with the toy as it is a present from his daughter, Elizabeth, when his family was forced to flee their country due to the conflict with Russia.
“It’s my daughter’s,” he said to The Sun. “She gave it to me to be my talisman.
"We bought it when we were all together in Disneyland, Paris. When we left Ukraine together, our roads separated in Europe.
"My daughter gave this toy to me and said ‘this needs to be right next to you’. It sleeps with me, is always close to me."
Usyk confirmed the toy stays in his dressing room during his fights.
He added: “I am not sure about it being in my corner, she [the toy] is a lady so she might get scared, but she will definitely be in my dressing room.”
How to watch Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk
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To watch Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk go head to head, there are three options:
1.) You can watch the rematch on DAZN with no subscription required. All you need to do is buy the PPV for £24.99 and you will automatically get a seven-day free trial which you can later cancel to stop the subscription from rolling over. You’ll be able to stream the match on a range of devices including PlayStation, Chromecast, and Smart TV. If you do decide to roll over your free trial, you’ll move onto a monthly plan costing £24.99 per month and get access to over 150 fights every year, with the option to cancel with 30 days’ notice.
2.) You can also tune in live on Sky Sports Box Office (Sky channel 491). The event is priced at £24.95 for Sky customers in the UK and $27.95 if you’re based in the Republic of Ireland. Sadly Sky does not offer free trials, but Sky subscribers can book the match here and if you’re new to Sky, you can sign up here.
3.) Finally, you can watch the fight on TNT Sports with a Prime Video subscription (free for the first month then £8.99/ month), provided you have discovery+ (from £3.99/ month) as part of your subscription. If you don't fancy shelling out, you can simply cancel your subscription after the first month.
Topics: Boxing, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk
Marcus Banks