Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury and becomes undisputed heavyweight champion | boxing news

Usyk of Ukraine defeated Fury of the United Kingdom by split decision to become the first fighter to unify the title since 1999.

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by scoring a split decision to win the first undisputed world heavyweight championship in 25 years, an unprecedented feat in boxing's four-belt era.

UK's Fury was the first aggressor, but Usyk gradually took command and the “Gypsy King” was saved by the bell in the ninth round before falling to the first defeat of his career on Sunday.

“It's a great moment. “It’s a great day,” Usyk said.

Ukraine's Usyk joins the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion, the first since boxing recognized four major belts in the 2000s.

With the win, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion can legitimately claim to be the best of this era, although an expected rematch in October could put another spin on it.

Britain's Lennox Lewis was the last man to unify the heavyweight belts (three at the time) after beating Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Usyk got the better of the early rounds before Fury accelerated in the fourth, putting on something of a show as he began to trap Usyk with ferocious body shots, but the Ukrainian fought back with several stinging reminders of his power.

Usyk turned the tide in the eighth round and few would have been surprised if the referee had stopped the fight in the ninth when the Ukrainian's powerful blows to the head left Fury reeling.

Usyk hurt Fury (34-1-1) with a left hand and eventually sent him into a corner in the final seconds of the round, getting credit for a knockdown just before Fury was saved by the bell. Fury struggled to mount a consistent attack after almost being stopped, and the knockdown proved to be the deciding factor in the decision.

“Thank you so much to my team,” Usyk said as he fought back tears in the ring after the victory.

“It is a great opportunity for me, for my family, for my country. Ukrainian Slav!

Fury wants revenge

Fury kissed Usyk on the head after the final bell. Fury also said that he wants a rematch in October.

“I think I won that fight,” Fury said. “I think he won some of the rounds, but I won most of them, and I think it was one of those what-can-you-do decisions, one of those… in boxing. We both put up a good fight, the best we could do.

“You know, their country is at war, so people are siding with a country at war. But make no mistake, in my opinion I won that fight and I will be back. “I have a revenge clause.”

Usyk landed 41 percent of his 407 punches, while Fury landed just 31.7 percent of his 496 punches, according to CompuBox statistics. Usyk threw (260 to 210) and landed (122 to 95) more power shots.

Usyk has now joined the elite club of fighters who have held every major world heavyweight belt, and is the first to do so in the four-belt era, which began in 2007. The list of undisputed champions includes Jack Dempsey , Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson.

The stars align at ringside.

Wladimir Klitschko was among the legends watching along with Saudi football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

Riyadh's newly built 22,000-capacity Kingdom Arena was packed when Usyk set out for his walk at 1:30 a.m. (22:30 GMT) dressed in a green Cossack coat and fur hat.

Fury followed, dancing to Barry White and Bonny Tyler's “Holding out for a Hero” in a green sleeveless jacket and a backwards baseball cap.

It set the stage for a clash of two fighters with impeccable pedigree and very different approaches to the sport.

In the co-main event, Australia's Jai Opetaia won a unanimous decision over Mairis Briedis of Latvia to win the vacant IBF cruiserweight title. Meanwhile, Ireland's Anthony Cacace earned a TKO victory over Joe Cordina of Wales to retain his IBO super featherweight title and claim the IBF belt.