Oleksandr Usyk successfully retained his heavyweight championship titles in a highly anticipated match against Tyson Fury on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, remaining undefeated in his career. The judges—Gerardo Martinez, Patrick Morley, and Ignacio Robles—unanimously scored the bout in favor of Usyk with identical tallies of 116-112. Usyk demonstrated impressive skill, landing 179 of his 423 punches, a 42% success rate, while Fury managed to land only 144 of his 509 attempts, resulting in a hit rate of 28%.
When questioned about the judges’ scores, Usyk responded by stating that he didn’t feel it was his place to critique their decisions, focusing instead on his performance in the ring. “I win, it’s good,” Usyk, who improved to 23-0 with 14 KOs, said. “Not my deal. I win. Thank you, God.” The betting odds suggested a competitive matchup, with Usyk closing at -145 and Fury at +110.
This fight was particularly significant as it followed their earlier bout in May, where Fury suffered his first professional defeat. The match lived up to its expectations right from the entrance, with Usyk’s team having previously requested that Fury trim his impressive beard during the pre-fight rules meeting. Fury, embodying a festive spirit, entered the arena in a bright red robe while Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” played in the background, showcasing his signature showmanship.
The fight commenced with Fury adopting a fast pace, dominating the opening rounds. However, Usyk began to shift the momentum by focusing on body shots and unleashing power combinations by the third and fourth rounds. Fury showed notes of resilience in the fifth, but it was Usyk’s left hand that became a pivotal factor in the sixth round, staggering Fury on two occasions. As the contest progressed, Fury appeared to struggle with his additional weight, and Usyk’s strategic, measured approach began to overshadow Fury’s more aggressive style.
In the tenth round, Fury emerged with renewed vigor, attempting to regain control by throwing powerful punches. Usyk countered this with effective jabs, ensuring that he maintained a tactical advantage. The eleventh round highlighted Usyk’s speed, as he landed multiple combinations that kept Fury at bay. As the final round unfolded, the two fighters exchanged punches, with Fury striving for a significant impression on the judges while Usyk pursued an emphatic finishing blow.
Ahead of this contest, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, revealed earlier in the week that an experimental AI judge would also evaluate the match. According to this innovative technology, Usyk emerged as the winner with a score of 118-112. Following the bout, Fury’s record in rematches dropped to 5-1.
Only three titles were on the line during this match, as Usyk was stripped of the IBF title for not facing his mandated challenger, Daniel Dubois. Dubois interrupted Usyk’s postfight interview, taking the microphone to challenge Usyk for a rematch after his prior defeat in August, where Usyk won by knockout in the ninth round. “I want my revenge Usyk,” Dubois declared. Usyk acknowledged Dubois’ challenge, urging those in attendance to make the fight happen.
The event also featured several undercard fights, with notable victories including Serhii Bohachuk defeating Ismael Davis via sixth-round TKO, Johnny Fisher winning against Dave Allen through a split decision, Lee McGregor outpointing Isaac Lowe with a unanimous decision, and Peter McGrail edging Rhys Edwards also by unanimous decision.