The Ukrainian was awarded the fight 116-112 by all three judges.
Oleksandr Usyk won his heavyweight championship rematch against Tyson Fury by unanimous decision on Saturday, December 21, to stay unbeaten across two divisions and cement his place among the greats. The Ukrainian, who forced the pace and repeatedly tagged Fury with his accurate left hook, was awarded the fight 116-112 by all three judges, handing Fury his second straight loss.
Usyk’s win takes him to 23-0 with 14 knockouts and extends one of the all-time best careers that includes Olympic gold and undisputed champion at cruiserweight. “He’s a great fighter, it’s a great performance,” Usyk, 37, said of Fury, who was unbeaten over 35 fights until he lost their four-belt unification bout in May. “Unbelievable 24 rounds for my career.”
Only the WBA, WBO and WBC belts were on the line this time after Usyk, focused on the lucrative rematch, relinquished his IBF title rather than face challenger Daniel Dubois. By beating Fury in May, “The Cat” had already joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight, and the first of the four-belt era. “He’s my best friend,” he said of Fury. “I respect this guy because I think he’s a really tough opponent. Tyson Fury makes me strong.”
But the defeat opens up an uncertain future for the 36-year-old Fury, now 34-2-1, who announced his retirement in 2022 only to return to the ring. “I thought I’ve won both fights, but then again I’ve got two losses on my record now, so there’s not much I can do about it,” said the Briton, who refused to discuss his next steps.
Promoter Frank Warren also called the judges’ decision “nuts”. But Usyk dismissed his complaints. “Uncle Frank, I think is blind… crazy man,” joked the Ukrainian. Fury, wearing a Santa-style red-and-white robe and bushy beard, appeared to Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, before a determined-looking Usyk strode out in Cossack gear.
The 6ft 9ins (206cm) Briton’s jab held Usyk at bay early on and he landed a jarring right in round two. Usyk caught Fury flush with a left as he raised the pace in round three. They went toe-to-toe in a punishing fifth round, with Fury pummelling body shots while Usyk launched a flurry to the head. In the sixth, he stung Fury with a clean hit to the nose.
The supremely fit Usyk, renowned for taking charge in the closing rounds, was the aggressor in the seventh, tagging Fury with a hook as the “Gypsy King” backed away. Fury regained the initiative in the ninth, wielding his jab and one-two combinations and leaning on the Ukrainian, employing his career-heaviest 281lb (127.4kg) of weight.
It was see-saw stuff as they traded blows but Usyk rocked Fury in the 11th with a lightning combination that ended with yet another left hook to the face. An Usyk uppercut to Fury’s chin highlighted a furious final round and there seemed little doubt about the winner as the Ukrainian sank to his knees, arms aloft.
Usyk, who briefly served as a soldier after the Russian invasion, then celebrated by holding up a sabre that belonged to Ivan Mazepa, a hero of Ukrainian nationalism who fought against Russian control in the early 1700s. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quick to hail the victory, calling it proof that Ukraine “will not give up what’s ours” after nearly three years of war with Russia. “Victory!” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram. “So important and so necessary for all of us now.”
Reports put the prize purse at an increased $190 million with Usyk, as defending champion, expected to receive the bigger share – a reversal of fortunes from May.
The fight sits high in the portfolio of Saudi Arabia’s oil-funded push into sports, which has drawn accusations of “sportswashing” its dubious human rights record. After Formula 1, the LIV Golf tour, Newcastle United and a swathe of ageing football stars, the conservative kingdom’s strategy confirmed its crowning moment this month when it was awarded football’s 2034 World Cup.
The Ukrainian government has adopted a resolution that will provide Ukrainian citizens abroad with new opportunities, the Foreign Ministry’s press service reports.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to develop a modern, mobile, digital and service-oriented consular service capable of adequately and promptly responding to current and future challenges,” Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said, commenting on the adoption of the resolution.
Thanks to the adoption of the resolution, Ukrainian citizens abroad will have the following new opportunities:
1. issuance of ID-cards with delivery of a ready-made card by mail (only one visit to an embassy or consulate is required to submit documents);
2. issuance of passports in one visit for the collection of biometric data and subsequent receipt of the finished document by mail;
3. Registration in the State Register of Taxpayers through embassies and consulates;
4. exchange of a driver’s license or obtaining it after loss or theft;
5. A comprehensive service for registration of newborns, including: state registration of the child’s birth (issuance of a birth certificate); registration of the child as a citizen of Ukraine; registration of the child in the Unified State Demographic Register (assignment of a unique record number in the register); registration of the child in the State Register of Taxpayers.
From now on, applications for services can be submitted through the portal or the Diia mobile application.
“I am convinced that millions of our citizens abroad will appreciate the innovations that simplify access to the services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through digitalization. There is no need to travel many kilometers to submit and receive documents twice. This is a real time and cost saving for our citizens,” Mr. Sibiga said.
The Resolution “On the Implementation of a Pilot Project for the Provision of Certain Public Services and Certain Consular Actions on Applications of Persons Outside Ukraine Submitted by the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services and/or the e-Consul Information and Communication System” was developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko congratulated Ukrainian boxer and WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) on his victory in the fight against British boxer Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs).
“A worthy and brilliant victory! Oleksandr Usyk defended all his titles in professional boxing, including the absolute world heavyweight champion in the rematch,” he wrote in a telegram.
Klitschko called the fight between Usyk and Fury one of the most anticipated rematches in boxing history. “Very tense and emotional. Resonant long before the event. The Russian “experts” and “soothsayers” were especially foaming at the mouth. Congratulations, Oleksandr! This victory today is not only yours. This is a victory for Ukraine!” the mayor said.
The former head of the Patronage Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Olga Nikitchenko, has been appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania.
“To appoint Olha Nikitchenko as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Lithuania,” reads the text of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Decree No. 875/2024 of December 21, published on the website of the Ukrainian President on Saturday.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Ambassador of Ukraine to China Pavlo Riabikin, Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania Petro Beshta, Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan Serhiy Korsunsky, Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovenia Andriy Taran, and Ambassador of Ukraine to Rwanda Andriy Pravednyk.
The President also dismissed Vasyl Gamyanin from the post of Ambassador of Ukraine to Indonesia and from the post of representative of Ukraine to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which he held part-time.
The relevant decrees No. 863-868/2024 of December 21 were published on the President’s website on Saturday.
Doctor of sciences, deputy of the Zaparpattya regional council, Ukrainian serviceman Fyodor Shandor has been appointed ambassador of Ukraine to Hungary.
“To appoint Fyodor Fedorovych Shandor as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Hungary,” reads the text of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decree No. 876/2024 of December 21, published on the Ukrainian head of state’s website on Saturday.
