Oleksandr Usyk put in an incredible performance as he defeated Tyson Fury to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
Usyk and Fury were going head to head in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Usyk earning the win by split decision to become WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF world champion, and the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years.
It was a cagey opening round between Fury and Usyk, with the Gypsy King even finding time to play up to the crowd and taunt the Ukranian.
Usyk started the second round well, but Fury found success of his own, nearly landing a big uppercut during the closing seconds.
Round four was the best round of the fight so far for Fury, landing a number of big shots, while an accidental clash of heads also caused damage above the Ukranian’s eye.
It was another good round for Fury in the fifth, as he began to target Usyk’s body and appeared to be hurting his opponent with the shots.
Round six was even more of the same, with Fury nailing Usyk with a huge uppercut, as he appeared to be taking over heading into the second half of the fight.
Usyk recovered well and had success in round seven, before a big round in the eighth, where he appeared to break Fury’s nose as it began streaming with blood.
It went from bad to worse for Fury in round nine, being caught with a barrage of shots that sent him tumbling around the ring, with the Gypsy King receiving a 10 count from the referee after it was judged that the ropes kept him up.
Usyk continued to dictate proceedings in round 10 and 11, and despite Fury landing a big shot in round 12, it went the distance and to the scorecards.
The judges had it 115-112 Usyk, 114-113 Fury, 114-113 Usyk, handing him the win by split decision and the undisputed heavyweight title.
Despite the historic win, it is expected that will be undisputed champion for less than a fortnight, with the IBF belt set to become immediately vacant.
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.