Ukrainian boxer Usyk defeated Fury and became undisputed world champion
Oleksandr Usyk entered the ring in a Cossack outfit (photo: x.com/Turki_alalshikh)
Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk defeated British boxer Tyson Fury according to the judges' decision, claiming the title of undisputed heavyweight world champion.
Here are more details about the fight.
The Usyk-Fury fight took place in the capital of Saudi Arabia after the presentation by the iconic announcer Michael Buffer at 01:40. Before the fight, both the Ukrainian and the Briton held all the important belts – WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO, and WBC, so the undisputed heavyweight world champion title was at stake. The fight lasted all 12 rounds.
In the early rounds, Fury acted from a position of strength. He mostly stayed in the center of the ring and tried to control all of Usyk's attempts to increase the pace. However, the Ukrainian boxer landed a few good shots on the Briton, forcing him to change tactics.
In the fifth to eighth rounds, the Gypsy King took the initiative. Fury tried to catch Usyk off guard and managed to find such an opportunity in the 6th round, stunning his opponent with a counterpunch. Usyk endured a tough period.
The main event happened in the 9th round. Usyk increased the speed of his actions and forced Fury to open up. The Ukrainian boxer unleashed a barrage of punches – the Briton dropped his hands and practically stopped defending himself. Gypsy King found himself on the ropes, but the referee delayed the decision to count to 10, and when they were over, the bell rang.
Photo: Usyk defeated Fury and became undisputed world champion
In the championship rounds, both boxers were cautious. Fury miraculously recovered quickly after the knockdown. Each of the champions tried to score points with the judges, so they simply tried to land at least a few body shots.
The judges' opinions on the winner of the showdown were divided. Two out of three judges favored Usyk – 115:112, 114:113. Meanwhile, one judge recorded a minimal victory for Fury – 114:113. This result made a rematch inevitable.
How Usyk defeated Fury
Round 12. The champions couldn't finish the fight early. Now, the showdown's fate is in the judges' hands. The trio will tally their notes shortly.
Round 11. The pace of the match slowed down. Both boxers settled in. Usyk and Fury landed shots several times, but without impact. Neither the Brit nor the Ukrainian dared to take risks and did not receive gifts from their opponent.
Round 10. Usyk continued to press Fury. However, Fury recovered during the short break between rounds and withstood the Ukrainian boxer's pressure. But he is already seriously behind on points.
Round 9. A tough round for both boxers. However, towards the end of the three minutes, Usyk seriously shook Fury's confidence. The British boxer took many hits and even lost orientation, but the ropes and the gong saved him.
Round 8. Fury started more actively again, subjecting his opponent to a flurry of attacks. The Ukrainian boxer countered from the middle of the round and tried to increase the pace of the fight. Fury managed to dampen Usyk's enthusiasm by switching to defense.
Round 7. Gypsy King continued to dominate. At one point, Fury tested Usyk's jaw. The Ukrainian seemed to stagger, but then responded well with a left to Fury's chin. This time, the gong came in time for the British boxer.
Round 6. This round favored the Briton. Fury first landed a counterpunch and then delivered another good combination. Usyk was in a tough spot, but he managed to hold on until the gong.
Round 5. Fury tries to catch Usyk off guard. The British boxer is not afraid to use dirty tactics. Usyk drew the referee's attention to Fury's attempt to hit below the belt.
Round 4. The Briton has leveled the playing field. The fight has turned into a positional confrontation, with both landing occasional successful combinations. Usyk, for instance, threw a good left punch once but missed the head by a bit.
Photo: Usyk defeated Fury and became undisputed world champion
Round 3. The Gypsy King stopped joking in the ring and started boxing for real. The initiative remained with Usyk, but now Fury began to clinch after successful double jabs from his opponent. He started landing good punches himself.
Round 2. Usyk took control of the center of the ring and started with a targeted double jab. Fury responded towards the end of the round. He finally left his corner and tested the defense of the Ukrainian boxer with a left hook.
Round 1. The Ukrainian started more actively, moving a lot around the ring. Usyk easily landed punches on the British boxer's body. However, the Gypsy King looked for moments for his own attacks and periodically even managed to entertain the audience.
What Usyk's victory over Fury means
Usyk became the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in 24 years. He solidified his place alongside the Klitschko brothers in the Ukrainian boxing pantheon. In 2011, Volodymyr Klitschko closed the circle of all championship belts in the family, defeating WBA champion David Haye by judges' decision. The younger of the brothers already controlled the WBO, IBF, and IBO titles, while the older brother had the WBC belt.
How much Usyk and Fury earned for the fight on May 18
Official data on fees were not disclosed. Gypsy King supposedly earned $69 million for entering the ring. Meanwhile, Usyk enriched himself with half that amount - $34 million. The British press predicted a prize distribution ratio of 70/30 in favor of Fury.
The promoter of the British boxer, Frank Warren, hinted that his client's fee could even reach $100 million. The Ukrainian champion agreed to a lower prize, including taking a promise from Fury to donate £1 million to one of the Ukrainian charities.
When will the Usyk - Fury rematch take place
The fight is planned to take place in October this year. Its winner will no longer hold the title of undisputed champion. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) decided that Usyk had delayed the mandatory defense of the championship belt, so he will lose this title in the summer.
Who will Usyk fight next
Since August 2023, the mandatory contender for a fight against Usyk has been Filip Hrgovic. The Croatian will meet with the British boxer Daniel Dubois on June 1st. The winner of the bout will be recognized as the world champion in the heavyweight division according to the IBF version.
Hrgovic or Dubois will contend for a fight with Usyk. In addition, two more heavyweights are in line - Manuel Charr, the regular champion according to the World Boxing Association (WBA), and Joseph Parker, the interim champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO).
