Tyson Fury was attempting to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night, seven months after losing the rivals’ undisputed fight
Tyson Fury was attempting to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night, seven months after losing the rivals’ undisputed fight Tyson Fury was attempting to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night, seven months after losing the rivals’ undisputed fight
It was not as dramatic as their first meeting but this was another masterful display from Oleksandr Usyk.
The Ukrainian is now, without any doubt, the greatest heavyweight of this era. Tyson Fury failed in his bid to regain the crown as king of the sport’s glamour division. The bigger man by far but Usyk is now the giant slayer. Anthony Joshua and Fury have now been beaten by him twice.
This was supposed to be the golden era for British heavyweights. It was supposed to be a compatriot of Lennox Lewis who took on the undisputed title. But Usyk took that in May and, although he doesn’t hold the IBF title anymore, the WBA, WBO and WBC belts are in his hands and, most importantly, the world knows he’s the best.
He’s ripped through British boxing’s heavy hitters and in some style. All three judges scored the fight to Usyk 116-112. It was deserved and this display was delightful. A masterclass from a boxing master. Usyk celebrated by dropping to his knees. He was anointed the king of the division in May. He held onto his crown here.
(
Image:
PA)
The Kingdom Arena had started to fill up just before the main event walked to the ring and tension built ahead of the eagerly-anticipated rematch. There was an elaborate and electric drum show to the beat of Rocky’s Eye of the Tiger before the walk outs. Fury’s was festive. Decked out in a Santa-like robe and with Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas before it whipped into a Notorious B.I.G. track which had the venue shaking.
Usyk, the defending champion, walked out in another Cossack warrior costume. The anthems only furthered the wait. Fury has been waiting for seven months for revenge since his only defeat of a 36-fight career. Fury, who weighed in almost four stone heavier than Usyk on Friday, looked huge with his shorts extremely high.
It didn’t stop Usyk going to the body in a tentative opening round from both with little action and more a feeling out three minutes than a continuation of their first fight. The southpaw jab from Usyk was a strong weapon at the start of the second. It appeared Fury was letting the Ukrainian dictate the pace of the fight.
The Gypsy King retaliated at the end of the round with a strong right which forced Usyk to take a step back in another tight three minutes. The third was tense. Usyk tried to land the left to the head but Fury’s defence was tight. The fourth started with the shot of the fight so far as Usyk landed a left which forced Fury back into the ropes and to cover up.
The Gypsy King tried to push Usyk back in retaliation and landed a decent right. This was absorbing if not always thrilling. Fury landed a cute left uppercut at the start of the fifth in his best round. Usyk was back in his rhythm in the sixth with sharp body shots before a stunning left hand hurt Fury. It was a huge shot in the ninth round of the first fight which turned that firmly Usyk’s way.
This didn’t swing that much as Fury landed a nice right at the start of the seventh but Usyk was menacingly pacing around after him and the lefts snuck through before the bell. Fury, with his huge frame, was tiring and Usyk was not relenting with the pace. The Brit lashed in a couple nice body shots at the start of the ninth but, again, Usyk had him on the back foot. The looping left couldn’t miss.
Fury’s corner were roaring at him to go forward in the 11th but it was another round for Usyk with a superb combination landing to body and head the standout. The Gypsy King did put it on Usyk in the last and he had the Ukrainian rattled on the ropes but it was all too little, too late as he suffered his second defeat and the Ukrainian remains unbeaten.
Mirror – Sport
