Heavyweight Champion: Usyk Defeats Fury in Razor-Thin Decision

Oleksandr Usyk edged out Tyson Fury with a razor-thin split decision to claim the world’s first undisputed heavyweight championship in 25 years, a landmark achievement in boxing’s four-belt era, Excel Magazine International reports.

Tyson Fury of the United Kingdom was the early aggressor, but Ukraine’s Usyk gradually took control of the bout. Known as the “Gypsy King,” Fury narrowly avoided a stoppage in the ninth round before succumbing to his first career defeat on Sunday.

“It’s a great time. It’s a great day,” Usyk said in his post-fight interview.

Usyk now joins the ranks of legendary fighters like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Mike Tyson as an undisputed heavyweight champion, the first since the four-belt era began in the 2000s. This victory solidifies Usyk’s claim as the best of his era, although a rematch expected in October could add another chapter to this rivalry.

The last man to unify the heavyweight belts was the UK’s Lennox Lewis, who held three titles after defeating Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Usyk dominated the opening rounds, but Fury found his rhythm in the fourth, showcasing his trademark showmanship while landing powerful body shots. However, Usyk rebounded with a series of stinging punches, turning the tide by the eighth round.

In the ninth round, Usyk’s relentless headshots left Fury reeling, and the referee nearly stopped the fight. Usyk knocked Fury down in the final seconds of the round, a decisive moment that heavily influenced the judges’ scorecards. Fury struggled to mount a consistent attack thereafter, with the knockdown proving critical.

“Thank you so much to my team,” an emotional Usyk said after the win. “It’s a big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country. Slava Ukraini!”

After the final bell, Fury kissed Usyk on the head and expressed his desire for a rematch in October. “I believe I won that fight,” Fury stated. “He won a few rounds, but I won the majority. It was one of those decisions in boxing. We both put on a good fight. His country is at war, so people are siding with a country at war. But make no mistake, I believe I won that fight. I’ll be back. I’ve got a rematch clause.”

Usyk’s victory places him in the elite club of fighters who have held every major world championship belt at heavyweight, making him the first to achieve this feat 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.

Fury’s entrance was marked by a dance to Barry White and Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero,” donning a green sleeveless jacket and backward baseball cap. The stage was set for a clash of two fighters with impeccable pedigrees and contrasting styles.