In a historic bout on Saturday night, Oleksandr Usyk emerged victorious over Tyson Fury by split decision, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world—the first to hold this title since Lennox Lewis.
The momentum of the fight shifted dramatically in the ninth round. Usyk delivered a devastating left hook to Fury’s jaw, sending shockwaves through the towering 6ft 9in Briton.
Fury, visibly shaken, stumbled across the ring as Usyk relentlessly pursued him with powerful shots, forcing him into the ropes. Referee Mark Nelson intervened, administering a 10 count, believing the ropes had prevented Fury from hitting the canvas.
The bell rang shortly after, sparing Fury from further punishment. Fury had entered the ring with his signature bravado, walking through a tunnel of flames. Initially, he appeared in top form, showboating early on by shimmying and slipping his head side to side in the first round. He even hid his hands behind his back in the second round.
Despite his antics, Fury’s long jab found its mark, diverting Usyk’s attention from the occasional right hand to the body. A right uppercut at the end of the second round brought a confident smile to Fury’s face.
Usyk, undeterred by Fury’s size and showmanship, landed a solid left cross early in the fight and continued to connect with straight shots to Fury’s body. By the third round, chants of Usyk’s name filled the arena as he pressed forward.
Fury remained elusive in the fourth round, but Usyk’s relentless pressure forced Fury to weave away from corner traps. In the sixth round, Fury seemed to gain the upper hand, landing a long right to Usyk’s head that forced the Ukrainian to retreat.
The crowd rallied behind Fury as he continued to press his advantage in the seventh round. However, Usyk reminded everyone of his resilience with a left cross that landed at the end of the round.
The eighth round saw Fury battering hooks around Usyk’s head, but Usyk bravely pushed forward. The ninth round, however, was a turning point. Usyk’s left hook and subsequent barrage left Fury reeling and on the verge of a knockout. In the final round, Usyk sought to capitalize on his earlier success, landing a lead hook on Fury’s jaw. Despite this, Fury fought back fiercely, ensuring the fight went the distance.
The judges’ scorecards revealed the split decision: one judge scored the bout 114-113 for Fury, while the other two gave it to Usyk with scores of 115-112 and 114-113, crowning Usyk as the new undisputed heavyweight champion. T
he event attracted stars from around the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Joshua, who witnessed a night that will be remembered as a pivotal moment in boxing history.
