Oleksandr Usyk continued his unbeaten streak by defending his heavyweight titles with a unanimous decision victory over Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday night. All three judges scored the bout 116-112 in favor of Usyk, reflecting his effective strategy and execution throughout the match.
Usyk threw 423 punches, landing 179 of them for an accuracy rate of 42%. In contrast, Fury managed to connect on only 144 of his 509 attempts, marking a 28% efficiency. When asked about the judges’ scores, Usyk remained humble and stated, “I win, it’s good. Not my deal. I win. Thank you, God.”
Leading up to the fight, betting odds placed Usyk as the favorite at -145, while Fury was at +110. The rematch had been highly anticipated, especially given that Fury had suffered his first professional loss in their previous meeting.
In a light-hearted moment before the fight, Usyk’s team requested that Fury trim his beard, noting its impressive size just days before Christmas. Fury, undeterred, made his entrance dressed in a striking red robe while Mariah Carey’s festive classic played in the background.
The fight started with Fury pushing the pace, but Usyk quickly adapted in the following rounds, focusing on body shots and well-timed strikes to Fury’s head. Despite some heavy hits from Fury in the fifth round, it was Usyk’s quick left hand that notably unsettled Fury twice in the sixth round.
As they progressed into the later rounds, it became clear that Fury’s extra weight was a hindrance, allowing Usyk to assert control with precise and rapid scoring combinations. By the tenth round, Fury displayed a desperate energy, trying to pressure Usyk, but the latter countered effectively.
Round 11 saw Usyk’s speed shine as he landed multiple combinations, maintaining the upper hand. In the last round, both boxers exchanged blows, with Fury aiming to impress the judges and Usyk seeking to seal his victory emphatically.
An interesting twist came as Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chair, Turki Alalshikh, shared that an AI judge also scored the match, giving Usyk a commanding 118-112 win.
With this victory, Usyk improved to 23-0 with 14 knockouts, while Fury faced disappointment in his rematches, now holding a record of 5-1. It is worth noting that only three of the heavyweight titles were on the line, as the IBF had stripped Usyk due to his failure to face mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
In a post-fight moment, Dubois interrupted Usyk’s interview, expressing his desire for revenge after losing to Usyk earlier this year. “I want my revenge, Usyk,” he declared. Usyk graciously responded, appealing to the authorities present, “Your Excellency, make me fight with Daniel. Thank you so much.”
In additional matches on the card, Serhii Bohachuk defeated Ismael Davis by TKO in the sixth round, Johnny Fisher edged out Dave Allen by a split decision, Lee McGregor outpointed Isaac Lowe, and Peter McGrail secured a unanimous decision over Rhys Edwards.
