Former two-time heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) has said he would never receive a judges’ decision over Oleksandr Usyk, even if he believed he won every round, effectively conceding that a trilogy fight would need to end by knockout for him to get his hand raised.
Speaking to journalist Gareth A. Davies on March 9, Fury doubled down on his long-held belief that the scorecards are stacked against him whenever he shares the ring with the unbeaten Ukrainian.
“I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get a decision. For me, it’s like, may as well just give him the fight before we even box. Give him the W, and I’ll have the L.”
Fury added: “Like I said, I thought I won the fight. But you know what he did? It’s someone’s opinion again.”
That is not a new complaint from the 37-year-old. Fury is no longer arguing he deserved to win on the cards. He is arguing the cards were never available to him in the first place.
Two Fights, Two Defeats, Two Disputes
Fury and Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) met twice in 2024 for the undisputed heavyweight championship, and Fury has rejected both results.
Their first clash, on May 19 in Riyadh, ended in a split decision for Usyk after the Ukrainian scored a knockdown in the ninth round. Fury told reporters at the time that he believed he won the majority of the rounds and suggested external sympathies played a role in the scoring.
The rematch on December 21 produced a unanimous decision, 116-112 on all three official scorecards in Usyk’s favour. Fury labelled the outcome a “Christmas gift” and said: “When you don’t get the KO this is what happens: you can’t guarantee a win.”
His promoter, Frank Warren, described the December scorecards as “nuts” and “impossible,” claiming no judge should have given Fury only four rounds. However, Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson dismissed the robbery claims, saying: “There’s no way in a million years he thought Tyson won. The best man won on the night and got the job done.”
Why It Matters Now
Fury’s comments land at a moment when both fighters are preparing for separate spring bouts, keeping a potential trilogy within reach but far from agreed.
Fury is scheduled to return on April 11 against Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, with the bout set to air live on Netflix. It will be his first fight in over a year and represents what Warren has called a “tough comeback fight” for the former champion. A win could set up either a third Usyk bout or a domestic clash with Anthony Joshua later in 2026.
Usyk, meanwhile, has a very different opponent lined up. The WBC, WBA, and IBF world champion has been sanctioned by the WBC to make a voluntary title defence against legendary kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven (1-0, 1 KO) on May 23 in Giza, Egypt, with the Pyramids as the backdrop. The WBC Board of Governors approved the fight, citing Usyk’s body of work against Joshua, Fury, and Daniel Dubois.
Whether Fury gets the trilogy he wants may depend on his performance against Makhmudov and his ability to secure a third opportunity against Usyk.
