Oleksandr Usyk remains the undisputed heavyweight champion after defeating Tyson Fury by unanimous decision in their rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Oleksandr Usyk is still undisputed.
After a hard-fought rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Usyk (23-0) scored another win over Tyson Fury (34-2-1). This time, he claimed victory via unanimous decision. That makes it 2-0 for Usyk over Fury, after previously winning by split decision this past May.
Though Usyk didn’t come close to a knockout as he did in their first encounter, his performance was arguably more complete. He won by a wide margin on the scorecards, with all three judges scoring it 116-112 in his favor. Afterward, Daniel Dubois entered the ring proposing a rematch, but Usyk didn’t commit to defending his heavyweight crown just yet.
Unsurprisingly, their fellow fighters were wowed by the contest. Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya praised both men.
“Congratulations Usyk, you are a gentleman and a scholar,” De La Hoya wrote on Twitter. “Tyson my amigo, back to the drawing board. YOU WILL BE BACK!!”
See more social media reactions from the combat sports world below.
Congratulations Usyk, you are a gentleman and a scholar. Tyson my amigo, back to the drawing board. YOU WILL BE BACK!!
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya)
Tremendous fight! Both men EXCEPTIONAL BOXERS! Truly. Let the talk about usyk playing up to the right hand body shot end now. He was as tough as he was skilled tonight! What a fight! Tyson Fury is some man. Anyone else against that version of Tyson Fury gets smoked. Very close…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA)
Too wide but I did have him winning! I understand why, it’s the pressure and the consistency of his workrate that just takes rounds down it really is! Tyson Fury is a warrior who deserves so much respect for going back in with him.. #UsykFury2
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew)
I feel like Usyk is way up on the cards. The speed and output has been too much for Fury.
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK)