Ukrainian warrior Oleksandr Usyk outpointed Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis a quarter of a century ago. Despite losing the recent ever biggest bout Fury collected more than Usyk following the pre-bout deal. Fury bagged 80 Million Pound while the Ukrainian collected 30-50 Million.
Usyk is three stones lighter and seven inches shorter than Britain’s Gypsy King but this toughest of cookies proved that a good little ‘un can defeat a good big ‘un, contrary to boxing’s oldest adage.
Especially when the smaller man possesses a heart the size of Usyk’s.
A compelling, high-class contest was neck-and-neck until the end of the ninth round when Usyk landed a crushing left hook which turned Fury’s legs to custard and left him facing a standing count.
The judges gave it to Usyk on a split decision, yet it ought to have been unanimous.
It was a first defeat in 36 professional bouts for Fury – who started off showboating, then began to dominate but was finally battered into near submission by Usyk’s extraordinary counter-attack.
And so Fury surrenders his WBC belt to Usyk – although this was such a brilliant battle that a scheduled rematch later this year will hold extreme intrigue.
Riyadh might be the polar opposite to Las Vegas but the Saudi capital is now the undisputed fight capital of the world – and so a decent number of Brits had made it over for a dry weekend in the Middle East.
The pre-match build-up was much the same as it would have been anywhere – headbutting, argy-bargy, trash-talking and God-thanking.
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