The highly anticipated match between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury exceeded expectations, with both heavyweight champions giving their all in a thrilling 12-round battle.
Despite Fury’s strong start and commanding presence in the ring, Usyk turned the tables by almost knocking out ‘The Gypsy King’ in the ninth round, shifting the momentum of the fight.
Despite some controversy, Usyk was able to secure the victory on the judges’ scorecards after cleaning up the final three rounds.
One of the judges awarded the victory to Fury, while the remaining two believed that Usyk had done enough to emerge as the winner.
Therefore, the Ukrainian athlete achieved the status of being the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis achieved this in 1999.
The Fury camp had strong reactions following the split-decision victory, with Tyson asserting that he should have emerged as the winner, a sentiment which was shared by his promoter, Frank Warren.
“I believe I won this fight”– @tyson_fury #FuryUsyk | #RingOfFire | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/o8fPfn1VyP
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 19, 2024
Despite the outcome, boxing legends and current combat sports stars unanimously declared the match an all-time classic.
Former UFC champions Alexander Volkanovski and Conor McGregor both expressed their thoughts on the highly anticipated rematch, with Volkanovski eagerly stating that he is looking forward to it in a tweet posted on his account, while McGregor shared his excitement on his own account. The rematch is expected to take place later in 2024.
Knock down seals the deal. Can’t wait for the rematch! #FuryUsyk
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) May 18, 2024
Jon Jones, the current UFC heavyweight champion, was impressed by Usyk’s near-knockout in the ninth round and also expressed admiration for Fury’s ability to recover.
During the aftermath of the fight, BJ Penn agreed with Crawford’s statement on X that Usyk is undoubtedly a contender for the title of No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Penn also praised Usyk as a “legend.”
Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the boxing world, extended a warm welcome to Usyk as he joined a prestigious group of boxers who have also held the undisputed title.
Lennox Lewis shared a video on his social media account, praising ‘Oleksandr the Great’ and stating that Usyk’s win serves as a reminder that it is never too late to enhance one’s legacy.
Tonight we witnessed a crackin’ fight and history made. I was happy to welcome either one of these incredible champions to the Undisputed HW club and tonight it was Oleksandr The Great. 😉 Looking forward to seeing them do it again. @usykaa has proved that it never too late to… pic.twitter.com/8x55z8XPw1
— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) May 19, 2024
After conducting post-fight interviews, both Fury and Usyk have come to an agreement for an immediate rematch. This will give ‘The Gypsy King’ an opportunity to redeem himself in the latter part of 2024.
However, according to Usyk, he is determined to hold onto the undisputed heavyweight title. Regardless of the outcome, both men’s legacies will be enhanced with another victory.
The constant discussion about a potential rematch has sparked one question among everyone: Is it not possible for Fury and Usyk to have a rematch as early as next week?
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