After a thrilling fight in an electrifying environment at the Kingdom Arena on Saturday, Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine maintained his perfect record by majority decision against Tyson Fury of Britain, retaining his WBA (Super), WBO, and WBC world heavyweight crowns.
Usyk gave lost height, weight, and reach advantages to his much larger opponent, but he fought brilliantly the entire time to overcome Fury once more, winning 116–112 on the scorecards of all three judges after his May victory established him as the unchallenged champion.
Despite his considerable improvement from the first fight, in which he lost in the ninth round, 36-year-old Fury was unable to solve the problem presented by Usyk, 37, whose incredible movement had the Briton on the defensive for the majority of the fight.
With a career-high weight of 281 pounds (127 kg), 55 pounds (25 kg) more than Usyk, Fury got out to a fast start and attempted to use his jab to control the centre of the ring.
However, the Ukrainian matched him and attempted to support him by ducking inside and employing combinations.
Usyk began to establish his left hand’s range by the fourth round, but as the battle fluctuated, Fury reacted and delivered a forceful blow to the body in the fifth.
Late in the sixth round, Fury seemed to be hurt by a right hook to the body and then a crisp left that hit his forehead.
By the seventh round, he slowed down and, as he laboured, moved to southpaw.
Usyk continued to advance despite Fury’s reliance on forceful one- and-two blows to the body, typically completing his flurries with his intimidating left hand.
Fury’s strong start to the tenth round was short-lived, as Usyk quickly regained control of the angles, finished the frame quickly, and easily won the final two rounds.
