By Ron Harris

Saudi Arabia – In one of the closest fights in heavy weight boxing championship history, Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury in a split decision to become the first undisputed heavy weight champion since 1999 when Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield to capture, what was then, the 3 championship belts. Lewis never defended his undisputed title   The judges scored it, 115-112 for Usyk, 114-113 for Fury and 114-113 for Usyk.   A razor thin win for Usyk.   

Usyk (22-0) has the World Boxing Association; the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organization belts and Tyson was the World Boxing Council champion.  Both fighters are well past their primes.  Fury (34-1-1) is 35 years old, and Usyk is two years older at 37.  It was not a stylish fight by any means.  The southpaw Usyk seemed to land his looping left hand at will when he got close to the 6’ 9” Fury.  Fury outweighed Usyk by over 40 lbs.  Fury has an awkward style.  He constantly moves backward and throws punches from all sorts of angles.  His most effective shots landed on Usyk’s body.  Usyk backed up on several occasions from extremely hard body shots. 

Fury was clowning around in the early rounds.  Holding on to the ropes and shaking his head and smiling from ear to ear.  Usyk hasn’t smiled in weeks.  Fury did his best work when he stopped clowning around and found Usyk’s body in rounds, 3 through 7.  Usyk started making his move from round 8 to 12.  His most effective round was round 9 when he hurt Fury and was beating him from pillar to post. His left was landing on Fury’s head, followed by combinations of rights and lefts.  Fury was hurt.  The ropes held him up.  Referee Mark Nelson would have been within his authority to stop the fight, but he decided to stop the round for a standing 8 count.  Fury was able to survive. 

As is the case in championship fights, there is a rematch clause in the contract.  Fury wants it before the year is out.  “I believe I won that fight.  I believe he won a few rounds, but I won the majority of them,” said Fury.  “We both put on a good fight.  His country is at war and people are thinking about that.  But I think I won that fight.  We have a rematch clause and I look to fight him again in October.”

Usyk, from Ukraine, was very emotional.  “I want to thank my team.  This was a great opportunity for me, for my family and for my country.”  Usyk is also the undisputed cruiser weight champion.  “It’s a great day.” Usyk just ran out of words after that.  Lewis and Holyfield were in the ring to present the undisputed belt to Usyk. 

Photo Credit:  Getty Images

About Ron Harris

Ron Harris, retired college administrator, coach, broadcaster, Internet and TV sports producer and host. Former radio host of a live call-in show.  Extremely close to the sports landscape in the Washington, DC metro area. Former radio sports reporter, covering MLB, college sports, major boxing events and much more.