RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — There hadn’t been an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in a rematch of all-time greats in November 1999 in Las Vegas.
Midway all over the world — and almost 25 years later — one other undisputed champion in boxing’s glamour division was topped when Oleksandr Usyk floored Tyson Fury in Spherical 9 en path to a cut up choice victory early Sunday at sold-out Kingdom Enviornment.
The wait was effectively price it as each males delivered a struggle befitting the prize they have been competing for.
One choose scored it 114-113 for Fury however was overruled by scores of 114-113 and 115-112 for Usyk, who handed the Englishman his first skilled loss.
“It is [a] massive alternative for me, for my household, for my nation, for historical past,” mentioned Usyk, who resides in war-torn Ukraine. “It is [a] nice day.”
Usyk, who entered with the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, captured Fury’s WBC title to change into the primary undisputed heavyweight champ within the four-belt period. He additionally turned the lineal heavyweight champion, a title Fury had held since 2015 following an upset victory over Usyk’s countryman, Wladimir Klitschko.
The 2-fight deal for this long-awaited matchup included a deliberate Oct. 12 rematch in Riyadh, the place Fury will look to even the rating and transfer on to a superfight with Anthony Joshua within the first quarter of 2025.
“I consider I gained the struggle, however I am not going to sit down right here and cry and make excuses,” mentioned Fury, who owned a 39-pound and 6-inch benefit over Usyk. “I consider he gained just a few of the rounds, however I gained nearly all of them. What are you able to do? We each placed on struggle, one of the best we might do. … Individuals are siding with the nation at struggle. However make no mistake, I gained that struggle … and I will be again. We have a rematch clause.”
Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) wanted 4 stitches to shut a lower over his proper eye, in line with his promoter, K2 Promotions’ Alexander Krassyuk. There additionally was concern that Usyk suffered a damaged jaw within the struggle, and he was headed to a neighborhood hospital for an MRI. Usyk’s assistant coach and cutman, Russ Anber, informed ESPN that the fighter did not complain about jaw ache till after the struggle.
Nonetheless, Krassyuk informed ESPN there may be “little doubt” Usyk can be prepared for the deliberate Oct. 12 rematch.
Usyk, 37, appeared on the point of ending Fury in Spherical 9 after he landed 14 flush pictures because the Englishman wobbled across the ring. The final of these punches brought on Fury to droop into the ropes, which held him up for the ninth knockdown of his illustrious profession. Earlier than Usyk might pounce on Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) following the rely, the spherical ended. When Spherical 10 started, Fury had recovered following the minute of relaxation.
Though Usyk did not end Fury, he shifted momentum within the struggle for good. He swept Rounds 8-10 on all three scorecards to tug away down the stretch. Fury gained the ultimate spherical unanimously, however by then it was too late.
Even in defeat, Fury rebounded in a giant approach following his lackluster efficiency in October in opposition to Francis Ngannou, the previous UFC heavyweight champion who was boxing professionally for the primary time. Fury, 35, was floored in Spherical 3 of that bout on his approach to a cut up choice victory in a nontitle struggle.
In opposition to Usyk, “The Gypsy King” boxed fantastically for stretches, expertly utilizing feints and his lengthy jab to pepper Usyk from vary. He usually adopted up with a stinging proper uppercut that clipped Usyk on quite a few events.
Fury gained Rounds 5-7 unanimously and even started to taunt, placing his arms behind his again and smirking at Usyk with every thudding physique shot. However Usyk by no means wavered. He continued to press ahead, and slowly however certainly, his stress wore down Fury.
Usyk was capable of again Fury up into the ropes and started to discover a house for his overhand left, the identical punch that helped raise him to a pair of victories over Joshua in 2021 and 2022 to seize the unified heavyweight championship.
Fury entered the ring as ESPN’s No. 10 pound-for-pound boxer and No. 1 heavyweight. Usyk was ranked No. 2 at heavyweight and No. 3 pound-for-pound.
The struggle was initially scheduled for Feb. 17 however was postponed when Fury suffered a lower in sparring that required 11 stitches over his proper eye two weeks out. In opposition to Usyk, Fury suffered one other lower, however this time over his left eye.
Usyk inflicted the harm in a career-best efficiency following a ninth-round KO of Daniel Dubois in August in Poland. And he did it in entrance of Klitschko, who was ringside — as have been Lewis and Holyfield. Klitschko’s brother (and fellow former heavyweight champ) Vitali is the mayor of Kiev.
On the postfight information convention, Usyk was introduced two flags signed by the Ukrainian navy preventing off Russian forces on the border.
“They’re actual heroes,” Krassyuk mentioned. “Usyk is preventing due to them, as a result of they provide him this chance.”
Because the struggle in opposition to Fury got here to a detailed, Usyk remembered his late father, who died simply days after Usyk claimed gold on the 2012 Olympic Video games in London. Usyk wasn’t capable of current him the medal.
On the postfight information convention Sunday, as he broke down in tears on the dais, Usyk mentioned, “I do know he’s right here with me.”