KINGDOM ARENA, RIYADH — And the NEW Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World… OLEKSANDR USYK!!!
Following an action-packed fight, the Ukrainian great consolidated every legitimate title by posting a 12-round split decision over the previously unbeaten Tyson Fury in Riyadh on Saturday.
One judge gave Fury the fight 114-113 but was overruled by tallies of 115-112 and 114-113 in favour of the new king of the heavyweights.
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) overcame a rough start to take command in the second half of this fight. He gradually solved Fury, tired him out, and then turned the tide with a heavy knockdown in round nine. From there, Usyk rarely let up and he performed far better in the championship rounds.
“This victory was for my family and the people of Ukraine,” said a jubilant Usyk during a very brief interview with DAZN.
WATCH: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk in the USA on ESPN+
Usyk settled immediately in round one and scored well with the southpaw left to the body. Noticeably, the smaller man had also claimed ring centre and he backed Fury up throughout the full three minutes. The Manchester man engaged in some periodic showboating and tossed out some harmless jabs.
A big left hand from Usyk had Fury looking very uncomfortable in round two, but suddenly the pattern changed. “The Gypsy King” got down to business in this session and scored with a brutal right to the body and a solid right uppercut just before the bell. The fight had begun.
As expected, Fury was targeting the body of his opponent and that opened Usyk up to some sharp shots to the head. Straight lefts and rights were landing frequently now, and Usyk appeared dazzled by what was in front of him. Most of Fury’s success was interspersed with showboating and the crowd cheered in his favour.
It was body, body, body again from Fury in the fifth. The right hand to the mid-section was visibly hurting Usyk whose output dropped alarmingly. However, Fury, who was working very hard appeared to be slowing down himself following a strong performance in the early rounds.
Usyk was hurt by a terrific right uppercut in the sixth and, again, it was Fury’s brutal body punching that set it up. By the midway point, Fury was ahead and boxing a brilliant tactical fight, but the pendulum was about to swing heavily in the Ukrainian star’s favour.
WATCH: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, live globally on DAZN
Suddenly, Fury looked exhausted, as Usyk had his biggest round in the eighth. The former cruiserweight champ cracked Fury with swift combinations and scored well on the counter. A huge left from Usyk landed hard and produced serious facial damage.
The game had turned perceptibly. In the ninth, Fury was nailed by an explosive right hook-left hand combination that hurt him badly. The punishment the Englishman absorbed for the remainder of the session was horrendous and culminated in a knockdown as referee Mark Nelson gave Fury an eight count late in the round.
The word around ringside was that Fury was done, but the WBC champ foxed his way through another round that belonged to the Ukrainian. The second half of this fight was owned by Usyk, with Fury mostly backing off in heavy retreat. Another huge left from Usyk landed at the end of the 11th.
The pattern continued and another backhand nailed Fury early in the final round. To send a message, Usyk also threw Fury off when the supposedly stronger man attempted to wrestle. Fury enjoyed some long-range success but took another left hand before the bell. He could not escape it.
Fury congratulated Usyk and gave him a kiss on the head before telling DAZN that he thought he won the fight. That sets up the sequel nicely.
Usyk becomes the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Britain’s Lennox Lewis outpointed fellow great Evander Holyfield in their November 1999 rematch. Now established as the best of this generation, the former undisputed cruiserweight champ adds Fury’s name to a resume that already includes two wins over Anthony Joshua.
If there’s a downside it’s that the titles will only be together for a matter of days. To undertake the contractually agreed rematch with Fury, Usyk will relinquish the IBF version of the title so that top contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois can contest it on June 1 in Riyadh. The winner will then reportedly face Anthony Joshua in September, with London touted as the location.
In an ideal world that would allow another undisputed title fight to take place next year. You wait 25 years for one, and then two come at once.
Fury falls to 34-1-1 (24 KOs).
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight card
- Oleksandr Usyk (c) def. Tyson Fury (c) (SD 12) for the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles
- Anthony Cacace def. Joe Cordina (c) (TKO 8/12)for the IBF super featherweight title
- Jai Opetaia def. Mairis Briedis via (UD 12) for the IBF and Ring cruiserweight titles
- Frank Sanchez def. Agit Kabayel via (KO 7/12); Heavyweights
- Moses Itauma def. Ilja Mezencev (TKO 2/10); Heavyweights
- Mark Chamberlain def. Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab (KO 1/10); Lightweights
- Robin Safar def. Sergey Kovalev (UD 10); Cruiserweights
- David Nyika def. Michael Seitz (4/10 TKO); Cruiserweights
- Daniel Lapin def. Octavio Pudivitr (KO 1/10); Light Heavyweights
- Isaac Lowe def. Hasibullah Ahmadi (PTS 10); Featherweights