Oleksandr Usyk crowned himself the champion once more by defeating Tyson Fury in their highly anticipated rematch, held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday. The unified heavyweight champion earned the victory by unanimous decision, successfully defending his WBA, WBC, and WBO titles, and maintaining his unbeaten streak. The judges scored the bout 116-112, marking another significant victory for Usyk, who had previously claimed the win against Fury at the same location earlier this year.
Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, who was ringside for the bout, held a slightly different view on the fight's competitiveness. Despite acknowledging Usyk's victory, Hearn noted the difficulty he had separating the two fighters during the match. "I couldn’t split them. I thought the fight was a draw – I actually had Fury up goinginto the last round. I thought there were so many close rounds, and I do want to see it back. [...] I found it difficult to pick a winner," he said during DAZN's post-fight coverage.
Hearn highlighted how the fight unfolded more like a chess match, rather than the anticipated slugfest. "It was more of a chess match than I expected. Usyk dominated in the second half of the fight, like we said he would, but it was very close. I didn’t feel it was an eight-four fight, but one thing pleasing was consistency from the judges. All three are high-quality judges," Hearn explained, emphasizing the close nature of the rounds.
Contrarily, boxing analyst Sergio Mora viewed Usyk's performance as more definitive. He felt the Ukrainian boxer did enough to secure the victory convincingly, stating, "It’s subjective. [...] I still think it was a fight with a clear winner, andthat was Usyk." Mora acknowledged the closeness of the fight but underscored Usyk’s control, saying, "He was almost there, but he would make the adjustments to just not get hit any time."
The aftermath of the fight saw differing opinions, particularly from Fury's camp, who expressed surprise over the judges' scores. Frank Warren, Fury's promoter, was among those who felt the bout was much closer than reflected by the official verdict. Despite the scoring, Mora stood firm, asserting, "He hit the body, he was going for the uppercuts. Fury was demanding respect and getting the punches in." He acknowledged the intensity of the match, yet maintained his stance on Usyk being the clear winner.
This rematch has surely left the boxing community buzzing, especially considering it has raised questions about Fury's future following his second defeat at the hands of Usyk. The fight has already become part of heavyweight boxing lore, showcasing not just the talent of both fighters but the intensity and tactical approach required at the highest levels of the sport.
For Usyk, this victory cements his legacy and status as one of the premier heavyweights of this generation. Meanwhile, Tyson Fury's next move remains uncertain as he contemplates his career path after two significant losses. The boxing world waits with bated breath for the next chapter of both fighters, eager to see if they can rebound or build upon this rematch's results.
