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.
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.
Ukrainian world heavyweight champion according to the WBA, WBO, WBC and IBO, Oleksandr Usyk, and British boxer Tyson Fury held their first press conference before the rematch for the world heavyweight title, the meeting took place in London on Wednesday, October 23, reports Suspilne Sport.
Usyk appeared in front of the audience in the image of “Hitman” from the popular media franchise. He took the stage with a briefcase containing posters of his fight against Fury – the Briton signed them at the request of his opponent.
When asked about his motivation before the rematch, the Ukrainian explained: “Only my regimen, my concentration is my motivation. That’s enough”.
Fury, for his part, reminded that the Briton has won all the rematches in his career so far. The former WBC champion hopes to be composed in the second fight with Usyk and rehabilitate himself for his debut defeat.
It is reported that the second fight between Usyk and Fury will take place on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Three major heavyweight titles will be at stake: the WBC, WBA, and WBO versions.
The repeat fight between boxers Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine) and Tyson Fury (UK) will take place on December 21 in Saudi Arabia, the head of the Saudi Arabian General Authority for Entertainment Affairs, Turki Al-Al-Sheikh, has confirmed.
“Fury vs. Repeat… 21-12-2024,” Al-Ash-Sheikh wrote on Friday on the social network X.
As reported, on May 19, Usyk defeated Fury in the first-ever fight for the title of absolute world heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. Usyk defended the WBA, WBO, and IBF championship belts and took away the WBC title that belonged to Fury.
Already on May 21, promoter Frank Warren confirmed that Fury intends to rematch with Usyk after losing the fight for the absolute world heavyweight champion.
Against Fury, Usyk will defend his newly acquired WBC belt, which has belonged to the Briton since the beginning of 2020. He will be defending his WBA and WBO titles for the third time after moving up to the super-heavyweight category.
The IBF belt, which Usyk won in his first fight with Anthony Joshua, will be stripped from the Ukrainian because he failed to defend it in time as required by the organization. Filip Hrgovic of Croatia and Daniel Dubois of the United Kingdom will compete for the vacant title.
Until now, Usyk has only once made immediate rematches in professional boxing – against Anthony Joshua in the heavyweight division. The first fight in 2021 ended in a unanimous decision in favor of the Ukrainian, and the second fight in 2022 was a split decision.
The fight for the title of absolute world champion between British Tyson Fury and Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, which took place on Sunday night in Riyadh, ended in victory for the Ukrainian boxer.
Usyk defeated Fury by split decision (115-112, 114-113 and 113-114).
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko congratulated Usyk on his victory.
This is the first-ever fight for the title of absolute world heavyweight champion in the era of four belts. Usyk defended the WBA, WBO, and IBF championship belts and tried to take away the WBC title that belonged to Fury.
Usyk started the fight more actively. Fury allowed the Ukrainian to strike at him, although he missed a left to the temple in the end.
During the first half of the fight, the boxers did not change their roles: Usyk threw more punches and pinned Fury near the corner. The Briton tried to counterattack, in particular with uppercuts. It was only in the sixth round that Fury looked more noticeable than Usyk and landed several strong blows on the Ukrainian.
The seventh round was the most active in the Usyk-Fury fight. First, there was another uppercut from Fury. And closer to the end, Usyk landed a series of powerful punches on the Briton.
In the eighth round, Usyk was able to punch Fury right in the nose, after which the Briton began to bleed. In the ninth, the Briton was knocked down.
Usyk continued to dominate Fury in the next two rounds. Only in the 11th round did the Briton manage to partially regain control of the fight.
The winner of the Usyk-Fury fight was to be determined by the judges’ notes: both boxers lasted all 12 rounds. The Ukrainian won by a split decision of the judges.
Tyson Fury reportedly demanded a rematch from the Ukrainian boxer in October. Oleksandr Usyk accepted the rematch.
Tyson Fury is undefeated in his 35-fight career
Tyson Fury says Oleksandr Usyk is too small to compete with him in their undisputed heavyweight world title fight.
Briton Fury, 35, is the WBC champion, while Ukraine’s Usyk, 36, holds the WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
Fury said former cruiserweight champion Usyk will be “found wanting” on 18 May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“You can beat the average big ones but you can’t beat the elite big ones,” he said.
“Size is what really matters and we have weight divisions for a reason.”
A former undisputed champion at cruiserweight, Usyk beat Briton Anthony Joshua to become unified heavyweight champion in 2021.
The most recent undisputed heavyweight champion was Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 1999. Fury-Usyk will be the first time in the four-belt era that every title is on the line.
February’s bout was rescheduled after Fury suffered a cut in a freak sparring accident two weeks before the fight.
Fury described himself as an “encyclopaedia in boxing” and listed several cruiserweight greats, including Evander Holyfield and David Haye, who were beaten after stepping up to heavyweight.
He said Usyk’s previous opponents, such as Britain’s Daniel Dubois, had “limited ability”.
“If Tyson Fury can’t beat Usyk, Tyson’s no good. End of,” he said.
“This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation. Facts.”
After his manager, trainer and promoter predicted a knockout win for Fury, he ended the news conference by joking that Usyk would knock him out in the first round.
Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren said the fight is the “biggest of the 21st Century”.
