Ukraine’s Usyk beat Britain’s Fury by split decision to become the first unifying title fighter since 1999.
Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury scoring a razor-thin split decision to win the first undisputed world heavyweight championship in 25 years, an unprecedented feat in boxing’s four-belt era.
The UK’s Fury was the first aggressor, but Usyk gradually took control and the ‘Gypsy King’ was saved by the bell in the ninth round before collapsing to his first career defeat on Sunday.
“It’s a great moment. It’s a great day,” Usyk said.
Ukrainian Usyk joins Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion, the first since boxing recognized four major belts in the 2000s.
With this victory, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion can legitimately claim to be the best of this era, although an expected rematch in October could bring another twist.
Briton Lennox Lewis was the last man to unify the heavyweight belts – three at the time – after beating Evander Holyfield in 1999.
Usyk gained the upper hand in the opening rounds before Fury hit his stride in the fourth, engaging in some showmanship as he began to catch Usyk with vicious body shots, but the Ukrainian fought back with several scathing reminders of its power.
Usyk turned the tide in the eighth round and few would have been surprised if the referee had stopped the fight in the ninth as the Ukrainian’s powerful punches to the head left Fury reeling.
Usyk hurt Fury (34-1-1) with a left hand and ultimately sent him sprawling into the corner in the final seconds of the round, getting credit for a knockdown just before Fury was saved by the Bell. Fury struggled to mount a consistent attack after nearly being stopped, and the knockdown proved to be the deciding factor in the decision.
“Thank you very much to my team,” Usyk said while fighting back tears in the ring after the victory.
“It’s a great opportunity for me, for my family, for my country. Ukrainian Slava!
Fury wants a rematch
Fury kissed Usyk on the head after the final bell. Fury also said he wants a rematch in October.
“I believe I won this fight,” Fury said. “I think he won a few rounds, but I won the majority of them, and I think it was one of those what-can-you-do decisions, one of those decisions in boxing. We both fought well, the best we can do.
“You know, his country is at war, so people side with a country at war. But make no mistake, I won this fight, in my opinion, and I will be back. I have a rematch clause.
Usyk landed 41 percent of his 407 punches, while Fury landed just 31.7 percent of his 496 punches, according to CompuBox stats. Usyk both threw (260 to 210) and landed (122 to 95) more power shots.
Usyk has now joined the elite club of fighters who have held every major world championship belt at heavyweight – and he is the first to do so in the four-belt era, which began in 2007. The list Undisputed champions include Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson.
The stars align at ringside
Wladimir Klitschko was among the legends watching, alongside Saudi football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
The newly built Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, with a capacity of 22,000, was packed when Usyk came out for his ringwalk at 1:30 a.m. (10:30 p.m. GMT), wearing a green Cossack coat and hat fur.
Fury followed, dancing to Barry White and Bonny Tyler’s “Holding out for a Hero,” wearing a sleeveless green jacket and a baseball cap on the back.
This set the stage for a clash between two fighters with impeccable pedigrees and very different approaches to the sport.
In the co-main event, Australian Jai Opetaia won a unanimous decision over Mairis Briedis of Latvia to capture the vacant IBF cruiserweight title. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Anthony Cacace scored a TKO victory over Wales’ Joe Cordina to retain his IBO super featherweight title and win the IBF belt.
