Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Fight reaction and undercard results after split decision decides heavyweight thriller
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk produced an undisputed heavyweight classic in Saudi Arabia which split the judges after 12 gripping rounds
Oleksandr Usyk has defeated Tyson Fury by split decision 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.
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 round 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.
Fury kissed Usyk on the head after the final bell. The fighters are likely to have a rematch in Saudi Arabia in the fall.
Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held the honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. He is also now the lineal heavyweight champion by beating Fury, who beat Wladimir Klitschko to earn that distinction in 2015.
Relive Fury vs Usyk, the undercard results and all the reaction below.
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Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Latest updates
Jid rounds up his concert at the Kingdom Arena and now we’re ready for the ring walks...
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Latest updates
The national anthems begin... Ring walks are almost upon us.
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Expert fight analysis from Frampton, Haye and Bunce
"Usyk's going to move, we know that, I think Tyson is going to be aggressive,” Carl Frampton says.
“He takes a shot,” says Steve Bunce. “Busted up, never hurt or in danger of going over.”
Haye: “It’s not clear [if he has a weakness]. I don’t see any clear weaknesses. He looks as well-rounded as you’ll get. Against Dubois, calm and cool, wasn’t moving too much. Holding his feet more than the past. He dealt with it.”
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Opetaia confirms he’s broken his nose after a headbutt from Briedis.
“I take my hat off to him,” says the Australian. “We knew we were in for a tough fight, 12 rounds of war, that’s what we got.
“I knew he would come home strong. He rocked me a bit. We stayed smart, kept boxing, and won the fight. I want the WBO next, the winner of Okolie v Billam-Smith.”
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
117-111, 116-112, 116-112 to your winner... Jai Opetaia!
And NEW IBF cruiserweight world champion!
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Round 12
TNT analyst Richie Woodhall has scored this 106-104 to Opetaia through 11 rounds.
Briedis could win the cruiserweight world title for a fourth time. A huge right from the Latvian, Opetaia is backtracking, blood now splattered all over his face.
Opetaia 344 Punches Thrown 469 Briedis
Opetaia 123 Punches Landed 108 Briedis
Opetaia 32 High Impact Punches Landed 20 Briedis
Opetaia 36 Punch Accuracy (%) 23 Briedis
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Round 11
Where has this come from? Briedis is unloading and now sending Opetaia on a walk around the ring.
Remarkable resilience from the veteran Latvian.
A hard minute and he’s backing it up, Opetaia needs to fire back, the Australian’s face is now covered in blood.
The gap has closed and Briedis lands a fierce right hand. Leading with it, too, Opetaia now dragged into a bit of a war given his inability to use his feet to get out of range.
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Round 9
Bridies firing in low to the body.
The Latvian whips his head back just as the counter right hook comes from the Australian.
Opetaia with a lead left, too. The Briedis corner has done a fine job clearing up the blood and cut on his nose.
Another scrappy round, this could be a close one with the judges.
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Round 8
Now then, Opetaia circling his opponent, holding out his left but not pumping the jab too much, more dangling it out as a range-finder.
Opetaia has thrown 135 punches to Briedis’ 102 through seven rounds.
There’s a low one and Opetaia stumbles away in some pain. It’s drifting though, will one of them roll the dice in the closing championship rounds?
Fury vs Usyk LIVE: Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis
Opetaia leaving gaps for Briedis.
That’s a gorgeous straight right leading off from Briedis.
Now a lot of wrestling, the referee attempting to untangle them.
There’s a body shot from Opetaia, but Briedis slinks away, bouncing off the ropes. The 39-year-old doing well to stay out of range at times. It’s a close contest through seven rounds.
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