Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury on points and retains his title

Seven months after his first victory, the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk again beat the Briton Tyson Fury on Saturday in Riyadh, winning on points by unanimous decision, and thus retains his WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight belts. More precisely, the 37-year-old Ukrainian imposed his rhythm and touched Fury several times with his left hook. He was awarded the fight 116-112 by all three judges and remains undefeated in 23 fights.

After having “talked and joked a lot“Throughout his career, Tyson Fury said he was ready to fight.”This time, I'm serious. I'm going to do some damage here Saturday night. I will inflict a lot of pain“, he had promised. But from good intentions to putting them into practice, from words to actions, there was more than one step. There was almost a world.

If Fury had prepared like never before for three months, and if he gave everything at the Kingdom Arena, he was always missing a little or a big something to unbolt the Usyk statue. The latter, with his boxing as complete and intelligent as ever, dominated the debates and the rounds. He was the one who took the most initiative and he was the one who had the most impact. Round after round, the champion asserted his control over the fight, even if, this time, Fury remained on his feet.

The “Gipsy King” even had a superb reaction during the 10th round, one of the rare ones (the only one?) that he clearly dominated. We then said to ourselves that, perhaps, by continuing this dynamic, Fury was capable of achieving the feat. But with lucidity and firmness, Oleksandr Usyk immediately resumed his march forward in the 11th act, as if to assert and confirm his superiority. At the end of the 12th and final round, the Ukrainian knelt with his arms in the air. He wasn't bluffing. Fury knew it. The public too. The judges confirmed it.

If it lacked a hint of dramaturgy, this long-awaited fight, presented as a duel worthy of the greatest epics in heavyweight history, did not disappoint. Both champions lived up to their careers and talent. Still undefeated among professionals at 37, Oleksandr Usyk has nothing left to prove. So, stop or still? the second hypothesis is the most probable and he will now set about finding new challenges that suit him.