Oleksandr Usyk wins heavyweight rematch to silence Tyson Fury in Riyadh | Boxing

Oleksandr Usyk remains the shining king of the dark and chaotic world of boxing. The great Ukrainian retained his three titles as world heavyweight champion by defeating Tyson Fury on points in a decisive bout in Riyadh early Sunday morning. Usyk boxed with clinical authority and won clearly on all three cards by scores of 116-112.

The pace was relentless and eventually Usyk was too fast, too smart and too skilled for Fury. His movements, accuracy and precision of his punches were completely too much for Fury, who braved the challenge and experienced moments of success. But Fury flagged and looked exhausted at a key moment in the fight as Usyk pulled away to ensure the overall victory. After the results were announced, Fury left the ring without comment.

Fury first came out to Mariah Carey's “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” wearing a red and white gown and sporting a big, bushy beard that he let grow freely throughout his long training camp. He looked a little like Santa himself. Usyk, on the other hand, strode into the ring with a deep seriousness of purpose and a look of ferocious intensity etched on his face. Once he was between the ropes, he knelt in a corner of the room and prayed.

Both fighters' names were chanted by a small group of spectators as they made their way to the center of the ring for the referee's final instructions.

Fury, who weighs more than 50 pounds than Usyk, had noticeably more flesh around his belly button as both men walked around the center of the ring. Usyk was keen to find a way to get on the front foot despite being a much smaller man, but Fury effectively delivered his jab and shadowed him for the first two rounds. But Usyk set up a puzzle of sharp moves that briefly shook Fury before getting the third and fourth.

Fury's best round of the fight came in the fifth, when he used his trademark uppercut with great force. Usyk was forced to retreat towards the end of the round, but when his pace slowed for the first time in the sixth, the champion clipped Fury with a hard left.

The fight remained evenly matched until the middle of the fight, but Usyk began to gain the upper hand after the seventh round. The huge weight difference seemed to be working against the giant Fury, who began to tire and take deep breaths. Usyk's lateral movement and clinical punching allowed him to stretch forward, and in the final third of the match there was little doubt that he would retain the title.

As the light fell on the two fighters, sweat glistened on Fury's back, showing how much effort he was being forced to put in. Living up to his Cat nickname, Usyk swayed, wriggled, wiggled, darted in and out, then delivered a crunching punch that left a scar and mark on his opponent's face. .

However, the defeated Fury still fought bravely and the final round saw a brutal fight back. Fury landed several heavy shots in an attempt to knock him out, but Usyk refused to give up and fought back. It was an exhilarating end to an exciting contest.

This was another extraordinary accomplishment for Usyk. The former undisputed world cruiserweight champion has replicated that feat at heavyweight, clearly above his natural weight, and remains WBA, WBC and WBO champion. Due to boxing politics, the IBF belt was stripped from him in the summer and given to Daniel Dubois, whom Usyk defeated last year. But there is no doubting the dignity and brilliance of a true champion.

Fury, who lost a split decision to Usyk in their first fight in May, has been locked up in a 12-week training camp in preparation for the rematch. He appears to have never spoken to his wife Paris while isolated in a grueling training regime, and claimed last week that his focus on Usyk was ferocious and relentless.

But Fury also made weight in a clear strategy to use his bulk to physically dominate Usyk. Fury is half a foot taller than Usyk, and combined with his height advantage, the 36-year-old from Morecambe, Lancashire, was determined to give the enduring champion a hard time. Fury's strategy did not work against superior fighters.

Earlier this week, Usyk, 37, had to be persuaded to consider the impact on his country's devastated morale. While trying to downplay his position, Usyk told a moving story of how news of the victory spread to the Ukrainian military front last May. When they heard that he had defeated Fury against all odds, their fatigue turned to elation.

Two consecutive wins against a huge opponent would be even more gratifying now.

Usyk threw his arms high, relief and joy flowing through him. This outstanding champion and his beleaguered but defiant nation deserve praise for their enduring supremacy.