British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury has expressed his belief that he dominated most of the rounds in his clash against Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who emerged as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
In the early hours of today, Fury and Usyk faced off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first-ever four-belt undisputed heavyweight bout. Usyk, who previously defeated Anthony Joshua in 2022 to claim the world heavyweight title, etched his name in history by becoming the first boxer to hold all four major heavyweight titles simultaneously.
At the onset of the bout, Fury seemed poised for victory with a strong start. However, his momentum was halted when he was knocked down by Usyk’s powerful punch in the 9th round. Despite a grueling 12 rounds without a knockout, the outcome relied on the judges’ decision. Usyk was declared the winner in a split decision, prompting tears of joy for his historic achievement.
The judges scored the fight in favor of Usyk, with two judges scoring it 115-112 and 114-113, while the third judge scored in favor of Fury 114-113. This victory means Usyk has added Fury’s WBC title to his collection, alongside the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles.
Following his first defeat in 16 years of professional boxing, the 35-year-old Fury expressed his disappointment with the decision, stating, “I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority. It was one of the most questionable decisions in boxing. I’ll be back.”
On the other hand, the 37-year-old Ukrainian heavyweight boxer, Oleksandr Usyk, hailed the victory as a significant moment for his family and country. “Thank you so much to my team. It’s a big opportunity for my family, for me, for my country. It’s a great time, it’s a great day,” Usyk remarked. When asked about a potential rematch, Usyk affirmed his readiness, saying, “Yes, of course. I am ready for a rematch.”
