Tyson Fury storms off after catastrophic unanimous-decision defeat by Oleksandr Usyk
Share:
Tyson Fury suffered a catastrophic night against defending world champion Oleksandr Usyk which may very well signal the end for the two-time heavyweight champion of the world. Fury was better in this second encounter but the Ukrainian came back strongly to claim victory by unanimous decision, 116-112 on all three judges’ cards.
Clearly frustrated with the decision made by judges Ignacio Robles, Pat Morley and Gerardo Martinez, Fury left the ring without conducting any interviews. There was no shocking, dramatic round this time, just a scientific boxing match in which Usyk pulled away and showed skills and grit. But it was compelling fare.
There was a more serious build-up than the first fight, with the Briton’s legacy at stake in the second encounter. Usyk had defeated Fury by split decision back in May to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. Usyk hurt Fury in round nine as the Briton was given a standing count, the moment in which the fight changed, to seal that victory on the scorecards, 114-113, 115-112 and 113-114.
Mind games had been played out in a subtle way before this contest, apart from one outburst from Fury when he asserted that he would take Usyk to “the hurt locker” and “damage” his opponent. Yet Fury was unable to exert authority. Even on weigh-in day a row erupted between the camps as the Ukrainian’s team claimed that the Briton’s bushy beard – grown during his three-month training camp in Malta – “grossly” violated the sanctioning bodies’ strictures and had to be trimmed before the showdown. But the beard stayed on for the fight.
