LAS VEGAS -- Hoping to avoid a repeat of the pushing and shoving that took place between heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury at their final pre-fight news conference on Wednesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission mandated that the big men would not be permitted to face off for the traditional photo following their weigh-in on Friday.

So even though the fighters were kept apart by about 10 feet on a long stage, the rollicking crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena cheered, sang and partied in anticipation of perhaps the biggest heavyweight championship fight since Lennox Lewis retained the title in his long-awaited showdown against Mike Tyson in 2002.

Fury and Wilder made separate walks through the floor of the arena to music to the wild cheers of their fans before hitting the scale ahead of the heavily anticipated rematch, also inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, on Saturday (ESPN-Fox PPV, 9 p.m. ET).

Fury weighed in first and was a solid 273 pounds, the third heaviest of his career. He weighed 276 for his return from a 31-month layoff against Sefer Seferi in June 2018 and was 274 for a 2014 bout against Joey Abell.

Wilder was the heaviest of his career, a ripped 231 pounds. He had been as heavy as 229 for two previous fights, his first title defense against Eric Molina in 2015 and for a 2012 win over Damon McCreary.