By In a historic bout that took place on Sunday, Oleksandr Usyk emerged victorious over Tyson Fury by split decision, becoming the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly a quarter-century. The Ukrainian star (22-0) added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF, and IBO belts, cementing his place in boxing history.
The fight was a back-and-forth affair, with Usyk starting strong before Fury (34-1-1) took control of the middle rounds. However, Usyk mounted a spectacular late rally, nearly stopping Fury in the ninth round after sending him sprawling into a corner with a powerful left hand. The knockdown came just before the bell, saving Fury from a potentially fight-ending barrage.
Two judges scored the bout in favor of Usyk, 115-112 and 114-113, while the third gave it to Fury, 114-113. The split decision victory was a testament to Usyk’s resilience and skill, as he overcame Fury’s size advantage and confident, charismatic style.
“It’s a great time. It’s a great day,” an emotional Usyk said after the fight, fighting back tears as he thanked his team and dedicated the win to his family, country, and the people of Ukraine. “Slava Ukraini!” he exclaimed, invoking the Ukrainian national salute.
Despite the loss, Fury remained gracious, kissing Usyk on the head after the final bell. However, he also expressed his belief that he had won the fight and stated his intention to invoke the rematch clause for a second bout in October.
“I believe I won that fight,” Fury said. “I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them, and I believe it was one of those what-can-you-do, one of them … decisions in boxing. We both put on a good fight, best we can do.”
Usyk’s victory marks a significant milestone in boxing history, as he becomes the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held the honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. The 37-year-old Ukrainian also claims the lineal heavyweight title by defeating Fury, who had held that distinction since his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
CompuBox statistics highlighted Usyk’s superior accuracy and activity, with the Ukrainian landing 41% of his 407 punches compared to Fury’s 31.7% of 496 punches. Usyk also outperformed Fury in both power punches thrown (260 to 210) and landed (122 to 95).
With this victory, Usyk joins an elite group of fighters who have held every major world championship belt at heavyweight, including legends such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Mike Tyson. He is also the first to achieve this feat in the four-belt era, which began in 2007.
The bout, which took place at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia, showcased the immense financial rewards that can be generated when the biggest fights in boxing come to fruition. Fury is reportedly set to earn more than $100 million for his participation in the event.
As the boxing world digests the outcome of this historic fight, attention will inevitably turn to the potential rematch between Usyk and Fury. For now, however, Oleksandr Usyk can bask in the glory of his remarkable achievement, having etched his name into the annals of boxing history as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
