RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Usyk (22-0) claimed Fury’s WBA, IBF and IBO belts with a stunning late rally with a nine-round KO in a back-and-forth bout between two previously undefeated heavyweight champions. Added WBC title. Two judges sided with Usyk 115-112 and 114-113, and a third judge gave Fury a 114-113 victory.
Britain’s Tyson Fury (right) and Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk (Nick) exchange blows during their undisputed world heavyweight boxing championship bout at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, May 19, 2024.・Potts/Pennsylvania, via AP)
Usyk got off to a quick start but had to survive while the confident and charismatic Fury dominated the middle rounds. Usyk, as the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist has done many times in his career, rallied in the final round, taking control in the eighth round and nearly stopping Fury in the ninth.
Usyk hurt Fury (34-1-1) with a left hand that sent him sprawling into the corner in the final seconds of the round, knocking him down just before Fury was saved by the bell. Fury made it all the way to 10th place, but struggled to mount a consistent attack after coming close to being stopped.
After the final bell, Fury kissed Usyk on the head. Both fighters are likely to have a rematch in Saudi Arabia in the fall.
Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held that honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. He is also currently the lineal heavyweight champion, having defeated Fury, who earned that honor by defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
