Tyson Fury suffered a split-decision points defeat on a dramatic night in Saudi Arabia as Oleksandr Usyk became boxing’s first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion.
On a grand stage and a legacy-defining night, Briton Fury started strong but was saved by the bell after an Usyk onslaught in the ninth round, resulting in a standing 10 count.
During the tense wait for the scorecards, Fury appeared confident of victory, but a stony-faced Usyk broke down in tears when he was confirmed the winner.
The scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 for Usyk, with a third judge scoring it 114-113 for Fury.
This marked Fury’s first loss in his 16-year professional career. However, a rematch is planned for later this year, giving him an immediate chance for revenge.
“I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority,” a defiant Fury said in the ring. “His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war. Make no mistake, I won that fight in my opinion.”
He added, “It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I’ll be back.”
Usyk takes the WBC belt from Fury, adding it to his WBA, WBO, and IBF collection.
The 37-year-old remains unbeaten and is the first boxer in nearly 25 years to be the sport’s sole heavyweight world champion.
“Thank you so much to my team. It’s a big opportunity for my family, for me, for my country. It’s a great time, it’s a great day,” Usyk said. “I am ready for a rematch.”
