Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision in Riyadh, Sadia Arabia, on Saturday night to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. The defeated boxer said the judges only sided with Usyk, a Ukrainian, due to the ongoing war with Russia.
The bout marked the first professional loss for Fury. One judge scored the fight in his favor, while the remaining two judges declared the Ukrainian as the victor.
“We both put on a good fight, the best we could do,” Fury said after the match. “People are siding with the country at war. But make no mistake, I won that fight … and I’ll be back. We’ve got a rematch clause.”
For now, Usyk owns all four major heavyweight titles, taking the WBC belt away from Fury on Saturday.
“It’s [a] big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country, for history,” the 37-year-old Ukrainian said. “It’s [a] great day.”
Before his post-match press conference, Usyk received a pair of Ukrainian flags that had been signed by members of his country’s military.
“They are real heroes,” promoter Alex Krasssyuk said, according to ESPN. “Usyk is fighting because of them, because they give him this possibility.”
A rematch between Usyk and Fury is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12 in Saudi Arabia.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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