Category: Boxing

Tyson Fury seems to be having a hard time coming to terms with being outclassed by Oleksandr Usyk in both of their meetings.

“The Gypsy King” challenged Usyk for his WBC, WBO, and WBA heavyweight titles in their rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this past Saturday. However, despite his best efforts, Fury fell short in his attempt to avenge his previous defeat to the undefeated Ukrainian.

Although Fury had moments of success, he ultimately suffered a unanimous decision loss as “The Cat” showcased his exceptional footwork and perfectly timed punches, keeping the Englishman at a distance throughout most of the fight. Usyk’s dominance earned him a 116-112 score from all three judges.

Fury wasted no time leaving the ring after his defeat, bypassing a post-fight interview. And during the post-event press conference, he adamantly stated that he believed he had won the fight convincingly, insisting that the judges had erred in giving the victory to Usyk.

With “The Gypsy King” now facing back-to-back losses — the only two setbacks of his professional career — to Usyk within just seven months, he is claiming that the venue itself may have played a role in his setbacks.

A video capturing Fury returning backstage, visibly agitated after his defeat, has surfaced on social media. In the footage, the former WBC heavyweight champion is heard asserting that many believed he was narrowly outpacing “The Cat.” Fury goes on to suggest that the location itself may have had something to do with the outcome of the fight.

“[Got] robbed there, f**k ’em,” Fury said. “I swear to God I thought I won it by at least three rounds. I bossed the fight on the front foot all night and had that work put on him… I’ll tell you what it is, you’re not getting nothing in these countries.”

The combat sports world has responded with a variety of reactions to Fury’s insinuation that the fight taking place in Saudi Arabia played a role in his losses.

Numerous observers have implied that the 36-year-old Brit is exhibiting a sense of resentment, struggling to reconcile with the reality of his defeat in both bouts.

Fury suffered the first loss of his illustrious career when he faced Usyk in their initial showdown this past May. After a hard-fought battle, “The Cat” emerged victorious via split decision.

This triumph solidified Usyk’s legacy as the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, a distinction not seen since Lennox Lewis achieved the feat in 1999.

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Former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury doesn’t look set to change stance on the result of his rematch against unified titleholder Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.

Fury was back in Saudi Arabia this week in pursuit of redemption against Usyk, who narrowly got the better of him in their blockbuster first clash this past May.

On that occasion, “The Gypsy King” was frustrated to fall on the wrong side of a split decision verdict that saw “The Cat” crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champ sine Lennox Lewis was stripped of that status in 2000.

And despite all three scorecards going the way of the Ukrainian second time around — and in a much more convincing fashion — the Brit is once again calling robbery.

During his post-fight press conference after another 12 rounds in the ring with Usyk, Fury questioned the trio of 116-112 scorecards and stated that he believed his hand should have been raised.

“I was quite confident,” Fury said. “I thought I won that fight again. I think I’ve got ‘Larry Holmes’d’ here. I thought I’ve won both fights, but then again I’ve gone home with two losses on my record now, so there’s not much I can do about it. I can just fight my heart out and do the best I can.

“But again, I’ll always believe until the day I die I’ve won that fight,” Fury added.

It remains to be seen what will come next for “The Gypsy King,” who entered the year undefeated in professional boxing and will leave it on a two-fight skid.

While some pundits and former fighters have already backed the idea of retirement for Fury following an illustrious career, plenty were quick to pitch a long-awaited UK showdown with Anthony Joshua, who is also coming off a difficult setback.

• Read More: ‘Judges Weren’t Corrupt For Once?’ – Fighters & Fans React To Oleksandr Usyk’s Convincing Decision Win In Tyson Fury Rematch

The final major boxing fight of 2024 saw a lot of unity from fans, pundits, media, and fighters — it was a close, competitive fight but the right man won.

Oleksandr Usyk edged out Tyson Fury in a unanimous decision to retain the WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight championships in the main event of a Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 21.

Usyk worked his jab well in the opening frame, which proved to be a bit of a feeling-out process. The Ukrainian came out with a strong combination to start the second round, but Fury seemed to start to gain control, working his jab as the round went on.

“The Gypsy King” got on the front foot in the third round after a shot that Usyk thought was illegal but was not called such. The champ looked to land the big shots late in the round, which saw plenty of utilization of the jab by Fury. Usyk cracked the Brit with a couple of strong left hands during the fourth round, troubling Fury, who tried to use his reach and keep his opponent back. The former WBC titleholder fired back in the fifth, however, as he showed his physical prowess and landed strong, inside shots, especially to the body.

After a bit of a slower start to the sixth round, Usyk continued to land well on the inside. The seventh and eighth remained particularly quiet, though the Ukrainian remained in control, working over the challenger’s body.

And he appeared to open up a cut above one of Fury’s eyebrows late in the ninth frame, as he remained in control and forced “The Gypsy King” to need to answer quickly. Fury threw power from the get-go, looking to bully the champion with his own back to the scorecard wall seemingly. He appeared to gas out in the later portion, however, backing up to “The Cat’s” attacks.

Usyk landed a couple of strong left hands throughout the 11th, still backing Fury up. Both men emptied the tank in the 12th round, with the challenger landing some strong punches but the champ landing a rocking combinations in the closing seconds.

Oleksandr Usyk Retains Heavyweight Championships In Decision Win Over Tyson Fury

This was a rematch from their initial encounter in May, which saw Usyk edge out Fury in a split decision to win the WBC heavyweight title, becoming boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. This reign was not for long, however, as the IBF stripped him of the title not long after the win as a result of taking tonight’s rematch.

The IBF title was awarded to Daniel Dubois, who retained the championship with a knockout of Anthony Joshua in September.

Dubois was knocked out by Usyk in their August 2023 title fight. He called “The Cat” out following Saturday’s fight for a rematch of his own, which could realistically happen and give boxing another undisputed heavyweight champion, pending Dubois successfully defending the IBF title against Joseph Parker in February.

• Read More: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 Results & Highlights: ‘The Cat’ Outpoints ‘The Gypsy King’ Again

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury seem to be laser-focused ahead of their upcoming rematch.

Both boxing superstars are set to reignite their rivalry this Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where “The Cat” will put his WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight titles on the line against Fury.

The pair first squared off in May when Usyk emerged victorious after a grueling split decision. With this win, the unbeaten Ukrainian cemented his status as the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era since Lennox Lewis achieved the feat in 1999, while also handing “The Gypsy King” his first professional setback.

As their eagerly awaited showdown approaches this weekend, Usyk and Fury took the stage for their final press conference on Thursday. The atmosphere was electric as the two engaged in a brief yet fiery exchange on the microphone.

The intensity only escalated during the faceoff that followed, as the two rivals stared each other down for over 10 minutes. Tensions ran so high that officials had to step in and separate them just as they began trading insults.

Following their May fight, “The Cat” was forced to give up his undisputed status when he had to vacate the IBF title, which was subsequently passed on to his former rival Daniel Dubois.

Usyk holds a flawless professional record of 22-0, with 14 wins by knockout. Meanwhile, Fury boasts a near-perfect 34-1-1 record, with 24 of his victories coming by knockout.

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