Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision on Sunday to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision on Sunday to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Usyk (22-0) added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF and IBO belts with a spectacular late rally highlighted by a ninth-round knockdown in a back-and-forth bout between two previously unbeaten heavyweight champs.
Two judges favored Usyk, 115-112 and 114-113, while the third gave it to Fury, 114-113.
“It’s a great time. It’s a great day,” Usyk said.
Usyk started quickly, but then had to survive while the confident, charismatic Fury dominated the middle rounds. Usyk rallied in the final rounds, just as the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist has done so many times in his career, taking control with a dominant eighth and nearly stopping Fury in the ninth.
Usyk hurt Fury (34-1-1) with a left hand and eventually sent him sprawling into a corner in the final seconds of the round, getting credit for a knockdown right before Fury was saved by the bell.
Fury made it to the 10th, but he struggled to mount a consistent attack after nearly getting stopped.
“Thank you so much to my team,” Usyk said while fighting back tears in the ring.
