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Heavyweight History: Oleksandr Usyk Defeats Tyson Fury
The wait was worth it for Oleksandr Usyk – and for boxing fans around the world who watched heavyweight history unfold on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
After 25 years since the last unified, undisputed heavyweight champion reigned, and for the first time in the modern four-belt era, fans had to wait through elaborate music introductions and anthems for WBC, Ring Magazine, and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of England and WBA/WBO/IBF unified champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine to make their way to the ring in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for their long-awaited title fight.
Oleksandr Usyk fought behind pressure and well-placed left hooks to defeat Tyson Fury. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Referee Mark Nelson. “You both know exactly what I expect.”
Twelve rounds later, after a highly competitive nail-biting fight with a knockdown, it was Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) who wrote his name in the history books, using pressure and the strength of a ninth-round knockdown to defeat Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) by split decision. Scores were 115-112 and 114-113 Usyk, and 114-113 Fury.
Emotional victory for Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk carried the hopes of an entire country into the ring in Riyadh Photo: Mikey WIlliams, Top Rank Boxing
Usyk broke into tears upon hearing the scores. “Since 2008, I was planning for this. It’s not for my win, it’s for my God, my supporters, my country, the Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian mother and father, children. I want to go to my home, I want to rest, a break, I want to eat, sleep, kiss my wife,” said Usyk.
Fury embraced Usyk after the decision. “It was a fantastic fight. I believe I won that fight. I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them,” said Fury, who chalked it up to “one of those things in boxing,” but said he also believed Usyk gained some sympathy because his home nation is at war.
Fury said he thought he had done enough to win despite the knockdown. “If someone had said to me, I was down, go out and finish him… I would have!”
High Drama in the Desert
In the early rounds, Tyson Fury was backed up to the ropes. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
The fight was high drama, a play in three acts.
Usyk put pressure on Fury from the opening bell. He was on the move, making himself a tough target to hit, jabbing to the body – similar to his fights against Anthony Joshua.
Usyk landed the first power punch at the end of the first round, a hard left hook to the shoulder. He had Fury moving backward. When a looping jab nailed Fury in round two, he stopped clowning around and got serious.
Tyson Fury started to take over the fight in the middle rounds. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
In rounds three through seven, Fury began to solve the riddle Usyk presented, coming at Usyk and digging to the body. He offered more offense and it forced Usyk to be more cautious. Usyk continued to pressure Fury, forcing him to fight on the back foot as much as the front. Fury had successful landing the right jab, while still aiming for Usyk’s gut when he could, knowing it would throw him off stride.
Fury’s hardest punches landed in the sixth and seventh round, with right hooks wobbling Usyk. It seemed Fury had the fight under control and would stay in control to the final bell, having gotten past Usyk’s movement to land his hard punches. Usyk showed a good chin, standing up to the shots. Usyk took several deep breaths. His body language had changed.
Oleksandr Usyk Knockdown Changes The Future
Oleksandr Usyk scored the knockdown that won him the fight in the ninth round. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
In round eight, Usyk did what champions do. He started taking back control. He took advantage of Fury’s confidence stabbing to the body and landing a hard left hook to Fury’s nose. It began bleeding, possibly broken. Right eye damage started to appear on Fury’s face.
The third and final act delivered a dramatic turnaround. With Fury now showing damage, Usyk gained momentum and confidence, knowing Fury could be hurt. As the pair traded punches, Usyk drilled Fury with a hard left hook and a two-punch combination. Suddenly, Fury was in serious trouble.
Usyk unloaded, rocking Fury on wobbly legs as he tried to backpedal out of danger. Fury fell to the ropes and onto the canvas after several right hands, a stunning turn of events. He got to his feet before referee Mark Nelson’s count, but was all but finished. It was Fury’s good fortune it happened at the end of the round, and he was saved by the bell.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk delivered a tense, terrific fight and the rematch is sure to be more of the same. Photo: MIkey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
The crowd cheered Usyk on as they expected to see him try and finish Fury off in the tenth round. Initially, he tried, but Fury’s power to recover is unequaled in boxing. With Usyk in control of the narrative, he stayed the course, continuing to find the target on Fury without putting himself in any serious danger.
Both men came into the fight in excellent condition, but they were starting to slow down. In the championship rounds, it was anyone’s fight. With the swing of momentum back toward Usyk, he did what he needed to secure the victory. Two judges gave Usyk the 11th round, but all three gave Fury the 12th round. The knockdown secured the narrow victory for Usyk.
Usyk Fury 2: Return to Riyadh Delayed Due to Injury?
Fans may need to wait for the rematch due to injuries suffered by both fighters. Photo: Mikey WIlliams, Top Rank Boxing
The fighters have a rematch clause with a tentative return date in October. While both expressed their willingness to run it back, it may not happen this soon. After the fight, Usyk was taken to a local hospital with a possible broken jaw. Fury may also have a broken nose.
Both men deserve time off to recover and be as fully prepared for the rematch as they were for Saturday’s bout.
Appreciation From Around the World For Heavyweight History
