TYSON FURY’S unbeaten record was ground to dust in the Saudi desert.
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.
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.
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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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Although there were also millions of tributes paid to ‘His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’, the key player in the sportswashing Saudification of elite boxing.
Should such a historic fight have been held in a nation with no tradition and little interest in the sport?
Probably not. The counter-argument is that without the obscene wealth the Saudis are willing to lavish on fighters, such elite unification contests might never happen.
There had been widespread talk of Fury’s powers waning.
A controversial win over UFC fighter Francis Ngannou late last year was followed by a serious cut sustained in a sparring session which saw this bout moved from its original February date.
But Fury has been doubted far more gravely in the past, when his physical and mental health collapsed, along with a failed drug test, after he dethroned Wladimir Klitshcko back in 2015.
He had never previously lacked sharpness for his most serious tests.
Usyk had become a professional Brit-slayer in recent years, having seen off Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora and Daniel Dubois as well as his two victories over Anthony Joshua.
For all the love for resurgent AJ… these two are head, shoulders and fists ahead of everyone else
OLEKSANDR USYK is the deserved undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, writes Wally Downes Jr
A great biggun doesn’t always beat a great littleun, not when David has the weight of a besieged nation on his shoulders and is able to swing each compatriot into every punch.
Usyk did what Usyk does, he moved magnificently, he counter punched and he outworked his taller and heavier opponent.
He somehow manages to use every physical disadvantage to his favour.
But what the hell is Fury doing getting up in round nine?
Why is a father-of-eight with £300million in the bank, three best-selling books and a Netflix series going to the well like?
Britain is not fighting back Putin’s army, Morecambe is not occupied.
So when the 35-year-old’s senses are scrambled, when the canvas is calling him, when he is so desperate not to be felled he is willing to bounce around all the ropes like a drunk, when he eventually has to collapse into a corner, why doesn’t he just stay down?
He has earned the right to surrender as well as his millions.
The sheer courage and guts and bloody mindedness it takes to climb off that deck, with a broken nose and a crumbling ego is not comprehensible to us mortals.
Fury said he felt he won the fight but was too dignified to call robbery or corruption, no doubt his dad will taint that decency by the time you’ve read this.
The rematch will be superb.
Because for all the love we have for a resurgent Anthony Joshua – who was ringside for that iconic event – these two polar opposite men are head, shoulders, fists, hearts and brains ahead of everyone else.
There is the top two, then there is a void and then there is the rest.
Read Wally’s big fight verdict in full here…
But this was always going to be the defining fight of his career. A former unified world cruiserweight champion, he was here in just his 22nd professional fight, looking to claim the undisputed king of the big-boy division.
There were Saudi-based luminaries such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Steven Gerrard in attendance, as well as several legends of the fight game including Joshua, Klitschko, Lewis and Evander Holyfield, the man he had defeated to become undisputed champion in 1999.
The pre-fight atmosphere was better than usual for a Saudi-based fight but not a patch on a sold-out Wembley, the lack of intoxicating liquid never helping matters.
After a lengthy undercard and a rap concert, a stony-faced Usyk strode out first in traditional Ukrainian dress, complete with a feather in his fur-lined hat.
Then Fury, dancing and shadow-boxing to Barry White and Bonnie Tyler in one of his lower-key ring walks.
Then after Michael Buffer had readied us for the rumble, Fury was straight into showboating mode, bobbing his head manically from side to side in the corner, Usyk sticking his tongue out in retaliation.
Those sort of histrionics might unsettle many opponents but Usyk is ice-cool and unflappable.
The Ukrainian landed the best punch of the opener with a powerful left hook.
Fusy vs Usyk: Round by round verdict
HERE’S how SunSport’s Chisanga Malata saw the fight as Oleksandr Usyk was crowned undisputed king of the world against Tyson Fury.
ROUND 1
Here we go. Both men look to establish dominance early by taking the centre of the ring.
Fury marches down the Ukrainian, who opens up with a stiff body shot.
The Gypsy King looks massive in comparison to Usyk, who is no dwarf whatsoever.
Usyk is happy to operate on the outside, although the early jab he’s eaten will have given him some food for thought.
Fury is trying to draw out attacks from Usyk, who is not putting too much into his punches.
Fury gets backed into the corner and channels his inner Muhammad Ali by doing the rope-a-dope.
Usyk lands a big overhand left just seconds before backing Fury into the corner.
Fury dodges the ensuing flurry and gestures to the crowd as if demanding them to acknowledge his head movement. USYK 10-9
ROUND 2
Usyk opens up the round with a big one-two that snaps back the head of Fury.
Fury tries to make light of it but that combo clearly stunned him.
Usyk is setting the stone and the pressure as he advances forward.
A big uppercut narrowly misses for Fury, who knows all too well that’s the shot to deploy on a shorter opponent.
Fury is throwing more punches but isn’t being as accurate as Usyk.
Usyk backs up Fury into the corner and lands a good three-punch combo.
But Fury comes roaring back with a hard body shot after circling away from danger.
Fury finally lands an uppercut, albeit to the body of the former cruiserweight king. FURY 10-9
ROUND 3
Fury is on his bike after the restart and lands a stiff straight right from range.
Usyk has decided to close the distance after eating that shot and is going to work on Fury’s trimmed-down torso.
A solid overhand left snaps back the head of Fury with just over a minute of the stanza remaining.
Fury lands a good combo with thirty seconds remaining. But he gets pushed back against the ring again and eats another flurry before the bell. USYK 10-9
Round 4
Fury goes to work to the body with two hard shots after the restart.
He’s absolutely loving this, dancing around after landing his shots.
But he’s still allowing himself to get backed up and invite the pressure from Usyk.
Fury lands a beautiful counter right as Usyk comes forward.
Usyk has his head snapped back by another hellacious uppercut.
Both men nearly land hard back hands before the bell, with Fury narrowly missing an uppercut and Usyk an overhand left. FURY 10-9
Round 5
Usyk takes the centre of the ring after the restart and looks to feint his way into range.
Fury is doing a good job of keeping the Ukrainian at bay when he looks to close the distance.
A rasping uppercut snaps back the head of Usyk.
Fury is hurting Usyk to the body with relentless hooks to the midriff. FURY 10-9
Round 6
Usyk is on the front foot straight after the restart and is looking to put Fury on the back foot again.
A hard body shot to the solar plexus gives Usyk more food for thought.
Fury almost closed the show with a huge uppercut with a minute and a half of the round remaining.
But he finds a home for it 20 seconds later and Usyk is in retreat mode.
Fury closes out the round with a bit of showboating, put his hands behind his back before resting his arms on the ropes.
A huge round for the Wythenshawe warrior. FURY 10-9
Round 7
Usyk once again closes the distance after the restart but he’s getting picked off at range.
And when he does take a step back, his body is getting blasted by nasty hooks.
Usyk finds a home for his straight left but Fury eats it like a packed lunch made by his loving wife Paris.
Another straight left snaps back the head of Fury, who circles back out of range to try to create space for a body shot
Usyk manages to close the distance with seconds remaining ad finds a home for a two-punch combo.
But Fury manages to circle away to hear the bell. FURY 10-9
Round 8
Fury is happy to operate on the back foot in the eighth and pick his shots.
But he gets his dome rattled by back-to-back straight left hands – which he brushes off before going back to feinting and trying to create space for a body shot.
Usyk briefly finds himself dealing with Fury’s weight in the clinch after landing a good straight left.
Fury is bleeding profusely from his nose. I’m not what caused the damage. Big round that for Usyk. USYK 10-9
Round 9
Fury is doing a good job of bamboozling Usyk with feints, but the Ukrainian continues to come forward.
But he’s slowly but surely allowing the gap to be closed, which leads to him eating a big left hand flush in the corner.
Fury gets hurt and is stumbling around the ring. It was a left hand that did the damage.
Fury doesn’t know where he is and is eating a barrage of crisp follow-up shots. He beats the count and the bell thankfully saves him. USYK 10-8
Round 10
Usyk – like the Big Cat he is – senses blood and isn’t giving Fury any respite.
Fury is barely throwing anything and what he is throwing is telegraphed and slow.
Usyk looks tired, but he needs to keep his foot on the gas pedal if he’s to have any chance of becoming a two-weight undisputed champion. USYK 10-9
Round 11
A desperate Usyk, spurred on by the plight of his fellow Ukrainians back home, immediately goes to work after the restart.
Fury tries to keep him at bay with the jab but is struggling to pump it out with the stiffness it had in the early rounds.
Usyk briefly traps the WBC king in the corner and lands a rasping left hand.
Usyk doubles up with two left hands that briefly back Fury against the ropes.
The round ends with yet another big overhand left from Usyk. USYK 10-9
Round 12
The fans in attendance at the Kingdom Arena cheer both warriors on after the final restart of the fight.
Fury is playing matador as Usyk looks to step into range to land his left hand.
And he finds a home for it with a minute and a half of the stanza remaining.
A chopping right hand sends Fury backwards, but he returns fire with a booking shot of his own that backs up the southpaw.
Fury puts his hands behind his back in a bid to goad Usyk to making a sloppy mistake in the closing seconds.
But he stays sharp as he looks to close the distance, which Fury times to initiate a clinch. FURY 10-9
TOTAL Fury 113 Usyk 114
In the second, Fury was more business-like, scoring with a couple of telling body shots, though Usyk was also enjoying some success.
The ham-acting was back in the fourth – Fury lowering his guard, then raising his arms, but also landing some decent shots and settling into his rhythm to win the round.
Fury was beginning to combine flamboyance with vehemence to good effect – that eccentric jitterbugging gait of his and those debilitating shots to the body.
Twice in the sixth round, Fury connected with vicious uppercuts which rocked back the smaller man. Then after more showboating in the corner, he leapt straight back into attack.
At halfway to the full distance, the Brit was establishing dominance.
Yet Usyk showed the heart of a champion in the seventh, Fury forced to take a couple of thumping head shots, then an impressive one-two just before the bell.
Fury began the eighth with a stunning combination of his own but the Ukrainian responded in kind in a proper slug-fest.
At the end of the ninth, Usyk scored with a cracking left hook which sent Fury sprawling on to the ropes, followed swiftly by a right which left his legs wobbling.
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Soon the Brit was taking a standing count from ref Mark Nelson.
Fury was in serious strife, clinging for dear life and could not land the knock-out blow he must have known he needed as the minutes counted down.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
