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 retains his WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight belts.
More precisely, the 37-year-old Ukrainian imposed his rhythm and hit Fury several times with his left hook. He was awarded the 116-112 victory by all three judges.
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During the first leg played on May 18, already in the Saudi capital, Usyk won by split decision. On this occasion he became unified champion of the premier category, a feat which had not been achieved for 25 years. This time around, only three belts were up for grabs, with Usyk having since vacated his IBF title.
The Ukrainian, who has become a symbol of his country, remains undefeated in 23 fights.
“By retaining the championship belts, Oleksandr proves that we are Ukrainians and that we will never abandon what belongs to us,” greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram. “No matter the difficulties, we will win. Whether in the ring, on the battlefield or in the diplomatic arena.”
For his part, Fury, who had an advantage of 25 kilos over his opponent, suffered the second defeat of his career (34-2-1).
