In a historic match, Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk emerged victorious over UK’s Tyson Fury in a razor-thin split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999. Usyk gradually took charge of the fight, with Fury being saved by the bell in the ninth round before suffering his first career defeat on Sunday.
Usyk’s victory makes him the undisputed heavyweight champion, a title held by boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. The win solidifies Usyk’s claim as one of the best fighters of this era, with a rematch expected to take place in October.
The last man to unify the heavyweight belts before Usyk was UK’s Lennox Lewis in 1999. The fight saw Usyk dominating the early rounds, with Fury finding his stride in the fourth. However, Usyk’s power punches in the later rounds left Fury struggling to keep up, ultimately leading to his defeat.
After the fight, Usyk expressed gratitude for the opportunity and stated that he would grant Fury an immediate rematch. In a co-main event, Australia’s Jai Opetaia won the IBF cruiserweight title while Ireland’s Anthony Cacace claimed the IBF super-featherweight title and retained his IBO belt with a TKO win over Joe Cordina of Wales.
