TYSON FURY feels Oleksandr Usyk was given an early “Christmas gift” on Saturday night.
The former WBC heavyweight champion can’t believe he wasn’t afforded more credit for his performance in their 12-round rematch at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 6-foot-9, 281-pound Brit doesn’t believe in “robberies” anymore, though members of his team used that word to describe Usyk’s second victory over him in their DAZN Pay-Per-View main event.
All three judges – Chicago’s Patrick Morley, Puerto Rico’s Gerardo Martinez and Panama’s Ignacio Robles – scored eight rounds for Ukraine’s Usyk, who retained his WBA, WBC, WBO and IBO titles. After a second defeat to Usyk in seven months, Fury disputed losing 116-112 on each scorecard during an entertaining post-fight press conference early Sunday morning in Riyadh.
In some ways, however, Fury acknowledged that he ultimately has no one to blame but himself for suffering just the second official defeat of his 16-year pro career.
“Listen, it is what it is,” a blunt Fury said. “I’m not gonna cry over spilled milk. It’s happened now. I’ve been in boxing all me life. You can’t change no decisions. … I think when you don’t get the knockout, this is what happens. You can’t guarantee a win.”
The shorter, lighter, left-handed Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) was the one who came close to scoring a knockout during any of the 24 rounds they spent in the ring together since May 18. He hurt Fury badly late in the ninth round of their first fight, when he knocked his buzzed opponent around the ring.
Referee Mark Nelson never appeared close to halting the action during that controversial sequence. Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) recovered rather quickly and made their contest competitive in the championship rounds, but he lost a split decision.
Canada’s Craig Metcalfe scored that bout 114-113 for Fury, who lost a point due to the knockdown Usyk scored when the ropes held up Fury late in the ninth round. Wisconsin’s Mike Fitzgerald (114-113) and Spain’s Manuel Palomo (115-112) both scored their first fight for Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight champ.
“I felt I won the both fights,” Fury said. “I don’t know what I’ve got to do – well, obviously, I know what I’ve got to do – knock him out to get a decision. But do you know what? It’s boxing, and it happens. And there’s no doubt in my mind I won the fight, and that’s it. We can’t cry over it.”
