OLEKSANDR USYK walked out of his live TV interview… for a very valid reason.
The Ukrainian stunned Tyson Fury in Riyadh to be crowned undisputed world heavyweight champion.
TYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK AS IT HAPPENED: RELIVE ALL THE ACTION FROM THE UNDISPUTED WORLD TITLE THRILLER
Amid the celebrations inside the ring, he was ready to speak to TNT Sports.
However, just as Laura Woods’ stand-in host Becky Ives cut over for the live chat, the camera showed Usyk strolling off before answering any questions.
That left the reporter and Usyk’s translator awkwardly standing there together – without the boxing superstar.
But it quickly became clear where Usyk had gone.
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The cameras cut to show him hugging and kissing his doting wife Kateryna on the edge of the ring.
She congratulated her husband on his magnificent performance and incredible achievement.
Usyk – who arrived at the stadium carrying his daughter’s teddy – then returned to speak to the broadcaster about his historic victory.
The former Olympic champion took it on a split decision in stunning scenes inside the Kingdom Arena.
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He made a fast start by dominating the early stages – despite Fury’s first-round showboating – before the Gypsy King grew into the fight.
But the fight switched in dramatic style in an epic ninth round.
Usyk went on a blistering attack with a superb onslaught that had Fury scrambling around the ring and slumped back on the ropes.
He was controversially saved by the referee who gave him a standing count before the bell rescued the Gypsy King.
However, it only delayed his pain as Usyk went from strength to strength and finished in style.
And that saw him given the win by two of the three judges and brutally end Fury’s unbeaten professional record.
There was still plenty of pain for Usyk, though, as he was rushed to hospital following the celebrations with a suspected broken jaw.
But even so, when he did speak to the media, the Ukrainian was evidently delighted.
Initially overcome with sheer emotion, he regained his composure and said: “Thank you so much my team, my God, Jesus. Mr Excellency, thank you this is a big opportunity for me, for my family. Slava Ukraini.
“It’s great. I don’t have words. Of course, I’m ready. One more time we will do a good fight.”
Fury also is keen to exercise the rematch clause in the fight contract – but was initially furious the decision went against him.
The Brit said: “I believe I won that fight.
“He won a few of the rounds but I won the majority of them and it was one of those decisions in boxing.
“We both put on a good fight, the best we could do.
“His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war, but make no mistake, I won that fight.
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“I will be back, we have a rematch clause.
“We will go back to our families and we will be back in October. I believe I won the fight but I’m not going to cry.”
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…
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
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
