Usyk Remains Undefeated, Defeats Fury in Heavyweight Title Bout
In an electrifying rematch held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oleksandr Usyk defended his heavyweight titles successfully, remaining undefeated with a unanimous decision victory over Tyson Fury. The judges—Gerardo Martinez, Patrick Morley, and Ignacio Robles—scored the match identically at 116-112 in favor of Usyk.
Usyk showcased impressive punching accuracy, landing 179 out of 423 thrown punches, which is a rate of 42%. In contrast, Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) succeeded in landing only 144 of 509 attempts, accounting for 28% of his total punches.
Despite the judges’ scorecards, Usyk humbly acknowledged the victory without questioning their decisions. “I win, it’s good,” he stated. “Not my deal. I win. Thank you, God.”
Before the fight, a notable request was made by Usyk’s team. They urged the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission to ensure that Fury trim his beard for the rematch—a bout stemming from a previous fight where Fury suffered his first professional defeat.
Fury, styled in a vibrant red Christmas-themed robe and accompanied by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” appeared for the fight looking as if he had just stepped out of a holiday celebration. The opening rounds saw Fury starting aggressively; however, Usyk turned the tide in the third and fourth rounds, landing effective body shots and powerful combinations.
The action intensified as Fury landed significant shots in the fifth round. Yet, it was Usyk’s swift left hand that notably impacted Fury in the sixth, staggering him on two occasions. As the fight progressed, Fury seemed to struggle with the weight and pace, while Usyk’s composed strategy allowed him to land quick, ear-catching combinations, showcasing his superior ring technique.
In the tenth round, with pressure mounting, Fury fought back fiercely, pushing Usyk throughout the round. Although Usyk maintained some control with effective jabs, Fury managed to score with a late uppercut. Usyk’s speed returned in the eleventh, and he unleashed stinging combinations to keep Fury at bay.
The final round featured a flurry of punches from both fighters, each looking to make an impression on the judges. Interestingly, an experimental AI judge, announced by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, also scored the bout, with results favoring Usyk at 118-112.
It is worth noting that with this victory, Fury’s record in rematches now stands at 5-1. For this bout, only three of Usyk’s belts were at stake, as the IBF had stripped him for not facing its mandatory challenger, Daniel Dubois.
After the fight, Dubois interrupted Usyk’s post-fight interview, seizing the microphone and demanding a rematch for their previous clash on August 26, 2023, where Usyk had triumphed with a ninth-round knockout. “I want my revenge, Usyk,” Dubois insisted, prompting Usyk to respond, “Your Excellency, make me fight with Daniel. Thank you so much.”
In other bouts on the card, Serhii Bohachuk secured a sixth-round TKO victory over Ismael Davis, while Johnny Fisher edged Dave Allen by split decision (95-94, 93-96, 95-94). Lee McGregor won against Isaac Lowe via unanimous decision (96-92, 97-91, 97-91), and Peter McGrail outpointed Rhys Edwards with a unanimous decision (96-95, 96-94, 96-94).
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