In a thrilling evening in Riyadh, Tyson Fury’s mission to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion came to a halt as he suffered a split decision defeat at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk. The battle seemed in Fury’s favour around the halfway mark, however, Usyk shifted the balance with an impactful ninth round, in which Fury was saved by the bell.
Usyk’s powerful left hook was a cause for concern for the British boxer, who found himself in considerable trouble. The conclusion of the 10 count coincided with the end of the three-minute round, sparing the pre-match favourite any additional harm.
Although Fury made a recovery, the determining round swayed the match in Usyk’s favour. The judges scored the contest 115-112 and 114-113 in favour of Usyk, while the third gave it 114-113 in favour of Fury.
The battle was brimming with momentum shifts and dramatic moments. Usyk’s aggressive front foot strategy and persistent chase of Fury paid off, earning him the WBC belt in addition to the WBA, IBF and WBO belts he already held.
Despite conceding nearly three stones in weight and six inches in height, Usyk dominated the centre of the ring from the get-go. As Usyk amped up the pressure, Fury responded with play-acting and laughter whilst being cornered.
The fourth round saw Fury picking up the pace with a strong body attack followed by a tactical uppercut, causing Usyk to pause. However, by the seventh round, Usyk regained control, landing hard body and head shots, decidedly taking over the contest as he pinned Fury to the corner.
The Ukrainian continued his resurgence into the eighth round, consistently attacking Fury with sharp punches, including one that landed straight on his nose, forcing him to touch his nose and eye. His nimbleness was dwindling following a potent right hook that placed him in significant danger, with Usyk firing at will, though his rival managed to remain standing.
The ropes were the only thing that prevented the 35-year-old from collapsing, leading to a standing 10 count, before the round-end bell offered some respite. Usyk’s lack of attack in the tenth round allowed an opportunity for Fury to recover from an onslaught that had previously left him staggering around the ring. However, a left jab from Usyk gave him the advantage in round 11.
With one round to go, Fury was in desperate need of a spectacular comeback, but his more diminutive rival declined to halt his advance. Unfortunately, the knockout blow didn’t materialise, leading to Fury’s maiden loss.