Tyson Fury refused to look Oleksandr Usyk in the eye when the two world champions met for a battle of the eyes before Saturday's heavyweight title fight, UNN reports citing BBC Sport.
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The winner will become the first absolute champion of the division in the four-belt era and perhaps the greatest heavyweight of the generation.
But the two champions exchanged very few words at a press conference before the fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the newspaper writes.
Fury - a showman whose antics at such events have made many headlines over the years - said he would keep it short and sweet, and as indicated, he kept his word.
"I am ready. I have nothing to say. I'm ready for a good fight. Whether it's hard or easy. Either way, I'm ready," the 35-year-old Briton said.
He thanked Usyk for agreeing to the fight. When asked if he had a message for the Ukrainian, Fury added: "God bless him. I will pray for him before the fight so that we both leave the ring safely.
Usyk also did not want to participate in any empty talk before the fight. "Let's make history. That's enough," he said.
When the two came to the front of the stage for the obligatory battle of the eyes, Usyk stood sideways, but Fury chose to face the crowd instead.
The Gypsy king put a trilby hat on a security officer, sang along to the music, flexed his muscles and left the stage, the publication points out.