Aurelia Butler

OLEKSANDR USYK has launched a desperate bid to keep hold of his undisputed title.The Ukrainian, 37, beat Tyson Fury in an epic heavyweight showdown to be crowned champion of the world.Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury to be crowned undisputed heavyweight championCredit: ReutersThe bruising showdown is set for a rematchCredit: AFPFilip Hrgovic thinks he has earned a world title shotCredit: GettyBut Usyk faces being forced to vacate the IBF title ahead of overdue mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic’s bout with Daniel Dubois.The Croat, who has been waiting in the wings for 18 months, takes on the Brit on June 1.IBF president Daryl Peoples confirmed to Lance Pugmire that Usyk has requested to keep the belt to ensure his rematch with Fury has the undisputed title on the line.Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas told BoxingScene: “We’re waiting for a decision to be made.read more in boxing“I think it’s more important for Tyson Fury now, not for Oleksandr. “Oleksandr, of course, is a two-time unified [champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight] and if the next fight is just for the three belts, I don’t think it’s going to be fair for either of the two guys. Either Tyson Fury or for Oleksandr. “But as far as importance, I think it’s more important for Team Fury to get this title. “Imagine if Fury wins – he’s not going to be undisputed, so he is losing the chance. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“The rematch, the clause, was so both guys had the chance to be undisputed. “I hope the IBF are going to make the right decision.”Emotional Oleksandr Usyk IN TEARS as he pays tribute to his father after beating Tyson FuryHrgovic, 31, is unbeaten in 17 fights since turning pro and believes he deserves a world title shot.But with Fury, 35, activating his rematch clause, IBF chiefs may want to see all the titles on the line when he faces Fury again – potentially in October.Should that be the case then Hrgovic’s fight with Dubois would most likely be for an interim world title.Saudi Arabia chief Turki Alalshikh has revealed that the winner of Hrgovic vs Dubois will go on to face Anthony Joshua in September.AJ has returned to form and will ultimately be eyeing an all-British bout between himself and Fury in the future too. More

MEET the Jersey-based fitness coach who beat Oleksandr Usyk and reckons he knows where Tyson Fury went wrong.Polish ex-boxer Lukasz Wawrzyczek believes he worked out how to overcome the “much bigger” Usyk in the final round of his tight fight.Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury on a split decisionCredit: PALukasz Wawrzyczek is convinced Fury got his tactics wrongCredit: BBCAnd the 40-year-old insists Fury blundered with his tactics when the Brit lost his undisputed heavyweight title bout to the Ukrainian last weekend.Wawrzyczek switched to the fitness game after quitting the ring ten years ago, following 220 amateur bouts plus 20 wins in 26 pro fights.He then moved to Jersey in the Channel Islands in 2015.The former welterweight vividly recalls defeating Usyk, who was then a middleweight aged 18, via a three-round points decision at amateur level two decades ago.READ MORE BOXING NEWSHe also explained the advice he would have given the Gypsy King for his epic showdown with 37-year-old Usyk in Saudi Arabia – a message that presumably applies equally to the planned re-match later this year.Wawrzyczek told the BBC of his own encounter: “He was very light on his feet and had a very good technique, but I was better.”From the beginning to the end I was the person who was going forward. I think that’s the clue to win with southpaw boxers.”He was obviously very good already in defence. However, in that third round everything that I could leave I left in the ring.”Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWawrzyczek then spelt out out his words of wisdom for 6ft 9ins Fury.He said: “If you’re fighting a southpaw you have to attack him, you can’t give him any space to win.Emotional Oleksandr Usyk IN TEARS as he pays tribute to his father after beating Tyson Fury”He [Fury] was [going] a little bit backwards and that’s why I think he lost the fight.”My strategy if I was training Tyson Fury would be very similar to the situation to Anthony Joshua had in his fight against Usyk.”He did one round like that and he won that round, but he stopped attacking him, that’s why he lost.”Tyson Fury’s huge, he’s massive, he’s much bigger than Usyk, so he could be that person.”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… More

TYSON FURY has activated the Oleksandr Usyk rematch clause – and it could still be for UNDISPUTED.The 35-year-old lost his WBC heavyweight world title to the Ukraine genius, who became undisputed boss on May 19.Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are set to rematchThe Gypsy King suffered a smashed nose and a battering through rounds eight and nine.But he has triggered the instant rematch part of the mega-money deal worth around £100million and will return to Riyadh in just over four months.And it could be for all four belts again as the IBF cannot strip 37-year-old Usyk of his title while he is under medical suspension until June 2.It seemed likely that the red version of the titles would be taken away from Usyk and contested between Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois on June 1.READ MORE IN BOXINGBut Usyk has now been suspended until June 2 so there is no way he can be stripped of the belt.The only thing that could have got the bout pushed back into November would have been injuries both brave men suffered.But both are expected to be fit and firing before November, so the rerun show can coincide with the Riyadh Season staging all of these sporting spectaculars.Fury was also handed a suspension but only till May 25 – just a week long. Most read in BoxingFusy 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

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnd in the aftermath of the brutal fight, he said: “I’m not boxing because I’ve got no money, I’m boxing because I love it.”I’m 36 in a few months, I’ve been boxing since I was a child. where does it all end, you have 100 fights and you have brain damage and are in a wheelchair.”For as long as I’m loving the game, I’ll continue to do it, and when I don’t, I’ll pack it up.”Tyson Fury lost his unbeaten record against the UkrainianCredit: GettyUsyk showing off his battle scarsThe undisputed champ posed with his WBC beltCredit: Instagram / usykaaUsyk was also handed a medical boxing suspensionCredit: Getty More