On that note, about 25 years having passed since the last undisputed heavyweight title fight...

Here is Steve Bunce on the historic clash between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield in 1999, which saw Lewis become undisputed.

Lewis and Holyfield sat next to each other at Thursday’s press conference in Riyadh.

Speaking of cuts and blood, it was a laceration over Tyson Fury’s eye that delayed Saturday’s fight in the first place.

Fury and Usyk were due to clash in February, after almost a year of on-and-off negotiations, but the Briton’s cut derailed the bout on two weeks’ notice.

And there have been plenty of other reasons why Saturday’s undisputed heavyweight title fight has taken so long to come together – and why it has been 25 years since the last one...

Here’s the story of Fury vs Usyk:

So, Thursday’s press conference was drama-free, but Monday delivered on that front, with Fury’s dad John headbutting one of Usyk’s teammates...

Usyk’s teammate seemed unfazed by the blow, while the elder Fury walked away with blood dripping down his forehead. A strange scene, and not one we needed so close to the biggest fight of the century.

Here’s what John Fury had to say for himself after that incident:

At the face-off at the end of Thursday’s press conference, Fury refused to look at Usyk, who stared down the bigger man...

“Hi, everybody, I am happy to be here,” Usyk said, after his promoter Alex Krassyuk had quoted some poetry by Henry Longfellow.

“I’m excited, I’m grateful for his excellency Mr Turki Al-Sheikh, who made this fight happen. Let’s make history. Enough. Thank you so much.”

If any locals cheered, they were drowned out by a group of Ukrainian voices, supporting the Olympic champion.

Usyk also appeared to be scribbling something, which he referred to as his “homework”, revealing no more.

Then it was Fury’s turn. “I’m gonna make this short and simple,” said the Briton. “I want to thank God for the victory that I’ve received already, and I want to thank everybody involved in putting this massive event on. I want to thank Usyk for turning up and challenging me, and that’s about it.

“Thank you to all the fans who travelled over to see me, because I know it’s tough times at the moment and money is hard, so I aim to put on a show. Thank you very much, God bless. I’m ready, I’ve got nothing to say except I’m ready for a good fight – and if it’s tough or easy, I’ll be ready either way.”

This time, there were British cheers in BLVD City. To the left of the stage, there was the green glow of a Starbucks sign and the pink and orange hue from a Dunkin’ Donuts logo.

Pressed for a final message to Usyk, Fury said: “God bless him, and I’ll say a prayer for him before we both walk out, that we both get out the ring in one piece and go home to our families, because that’s what it’s about.”

Usyk’s final message for the “Gypsy King”? “Let your hands talk in the ring.”

Let’s start the build to today’s weigh-in with a piece from last night’s press conference...

“Even employees within BLVD City, the area hosting the pre-fight events on the outskirts of town, had to ask what was going on as they pointed to the press-conference stage. ‘Is this boxing or UFC?’ one said. The UFC is visiting Riyadh, yes, but not for another month.

“‘I don’t know about the boxing, but I do like football,’ one taxi driver told The Independent. And so the conversation turned to Al Nassr FC, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the like. Another seemed vaguely aware of the fight, saying with a hint of hesitance and an ever-raising eyebrow: ‘The British guy... and the Ukrainian guy?’

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