Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight titles with a unanimous decision victory over Tyson Fury, showcasing superior speed, accuracy, and volume across 12 rounds despite Fury’s attempts to counter with his size and power.
Oleksandr Usyk didn’t get a knockout, but he sure left no doubt about his dominance. A decisive win in his rematch against Tyson Fury on Saturday.
There were close rounds again, but Usyk’s ability to get inside and damage Fury with blistering combos made the difference. His left hand found its mark repeatedly, while Fury struggled to match his pace over 12 rounds.
When it was all said and done, the judges scored it 116-112 across the board. Usyk walked away with a unanimous decision victory, retaining all his heavyweight titles.
“I win. I’m not the judges,” Usyk remarked about the scorecards. “It’s not my deal. I win, thank you god.”
Fury left the ring dejected as soon as the scores were announced. Still, Usyk credited him for another incredibly tough fight, solidifying himself as boxing’s top heavyweight.
“It’s a great fighter,” Usyk said of Fury. “It’s a great opponent. It’s a great 24 rounds. Unbelievable 24 rounds for my career.”
Fury actually started fast, looking to establish his left jab with a big right behind it. In response, Usyk showcased swift footwork, dancing inside and targeting Fury’s body with repetitive shots.
Fury tried to keep Usyk at bay, but the Ukrainian expertly moved forward, setting up his powerful left hand. When Fury switched stances briefly, Usyk seized the moment with a huge overhand punch—prompting “The Gypsy King” to return to orthodox.
Into the fourth round, Usyk unleashed a massive left hand that rocked Fury back. The crowd in Riyadh erupted as Usyk followed up with another big punch during the exchange.
That forced Fury to charge forward more aggressively, launching powerful punches from afar. Yet Usyk’s defense held strong until Fury connected with a nasty uppercut that caught the champion’s attention.
Fury continued stringing together good combinations, using his size and power to bully Usyk around the ring.
Usyk responded by getting busier himself—unleashing a flurry of punches that found their mark. A big overhand left momentarily sent Fury’s eyes rolling back as Usyk’s confidence soared.
Usyk’s leaping left hand kept paying dividends while Fury’s movement became more labored—perhaps due to coming in over 280 pounds for the rematch. Even when Fury got busier, his jab was consistently answered by three or four punches from Usyk.
Realizing Usyk was building a lead, Fury upped his pressure with huge shots to the body before going back upstairs. He fared better in exchanges during the ninth round—the same frame where Usyk nearly finished him in their first fight.
This time, Fury turned the tables late in the fight—but Usyk came right back just before the bell sounded. Sensing he was losing momentum, Usyk got back on his horse—chasing Fury and throwing with higher volume.
Usyk’s ability to neutralize Fury’s reach proved crucial—landing punches with staggering accuracy. His left hand snapped off repeatedly as he cornered Fury on the ropes multiple times.
Whenever Fury tried mounting an offense, Usyk met it head-on—upping his intensity with furious barrages of punches. Round after round, Usyk’s speed, accuracy, and volume overwhelmed Fury—ultimately deciding the outcome.
“I don’t know, maybe I am training,” Usyk mused about maintaining pace for 12 rounds. “My wife helps me. Today is very happy because my sons won judo competitions too—they take orange and green belts! My son said ‘Hey Papa—you’re next.’”
Usyk’s son called it right—the undefeated heavyweight champ kept his perfect record intact by vanquishing Fury again. Afterward, Daniel Dubois requested a rematch following their previous encounter—and Usyk didn’t flinch at the challenge.
“Yeah—no problem,” Usyk replied regarding Dubois’ fight request. “I am ready—next fight—no problem.”
As for Fury? Hard to say where he goes after back-to-back losses—the first two defeats of his legendary career. Maybe now’s time for an all-English showdown against Anthony Joshua—but clearly unhappy after falling to Usyk on Saturday.