Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk successfully defended his “undisputed” title by defeating British heavyweight Tyson Fury in their rematch. Held on Saturday evening at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena, the rematch saw Usyk claim a unanimous 116-112 victory from all three judges, marking the second loss of Fury’s career.
Fury began the fight with a brisk pace, dominating the first two rounds, but Usyk turned the tide in the third and fourth, targeting the body and sneaking in powerful combinations to the head. Fury landed heavy shots in the fifth, yet Usyk’s left hand took center stage in the sixth, staggering his taller, heavier opponent twice.
As the fight progressed, Fury’s additional weight began to slow him down, while Usyk’s composed, methodical style gave him the upper hand. Usyk’s quick entries, sharp strikes, and punishing combinations set him apart. In the 10th round, a determined Fury launched an aggressive assault, muscling Usyk around and landing a late uppercut, but Usyk countered effectively with precise jabs.
The 11th round saw Usyk regain control, delivering rapid combinations that rattled Fury. Both fighters unleashed flurries in the final round—Fury pushing for a dramatic impression on the judges, while Usyk aimed to seal his victory in emphatic fashion.
The fact Oleksandr Usyk has now beaten Tyson Fury AND Anthony Joshua TWICE is wild 😳 pic.twitter.com/vGZItMG3us
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 22, 2024
Usyk, who once served as a soldier following the Russian invasion, celebrated his victory by raising a sabre belonging to Ivan Mazepa, a Ukrainian nationalist hero who resisted Russian rule in the early 1700s. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly praised the triumph, calling it a testament to Ukraine’s resilience in the face of nearly three years of war with Russia. “Victory!” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “So important and so necessary for all of us.”
Fury, now 5-1 in rematches, stormed out of the ring after the result was announced but later told reporters in the dressing room, “I thought I won by at least three rounds. I bossed the fight.”
This time, only three belts were at stake after the IBF stripped Usyk for failing to face its mandatory challenger, Daniel Dubois. Dubois interrupted Usyk’s post-fight interview, grabbed the microphone, and called for a rematch following their August 26, 2023 fight, which the Ukranian won by knockout in the ninth round.
Usyk’s victory improves his record to 23-0 with 14 knockouts, further cementing his place among the all-time greats, with an Olympic gold medal and an undisputed cruiserweight championship already to his name.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
