Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight titles in a closely contested match against Tyson Fury. The judges unanimously scored the bout 116-112 in favor of Usyk, but not everyone agreed with the wide margin of the decision.
Tony Bellew, a former cruiserweight champion, shared his perspective on the match as it developed. He viewed the fight as much closer than the official scores indicated.
Usyk round… I have him ahead 6-5 after 11 rounds… There are some close rounds but I can’t see how he is losing this as he’s pressing the fight and outlanding Tyson Fury! It’s all up for grabs here! A knockdown wins this for Fury.
Bellew posted this on X (formerly Twitter) just before the final round. He observed that Usyk was more active, advancing aggressively and landing more punches. However, he also acknowledged the closeness of some rounds and speculated that a knockdown could have tipped the balance in Fury’s favor.
After the bout concluded, Bellew found it difficult to declare a winner in the final round. He ultimately scored the fight 115-114 in favor of Usyk.
Great last round and I couldn’t separate them! Brilliant chess match… I’ve got Usyk but no one can complain either way tbh! This isn’t a robbery either way! Both fought their hearts out here! I just feel Usyk done enough and outlanded and pressed the fight.
While Bellew believed the official scores were broader than necessary, he understood the judges’ perspective. Usyk’s relentless pressure and higher workrate likely influenced their decision.
Fury was not pleased with the outcome, feeling he had done enough to secure a victory. Despite his frustration, Bellew acknowledged Fury as a valiant competitor who deserves respect for accepting the rematch.
This fight was a sequel to their tight contest back in May. Even Anthony Joshua contributed his viewpoint, providing his own scorecard that identified a narrow winner.
With the win, Usyk retains his WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight titles. The boxing community will be eagerly anticipating future developments for both fighters following this intense rivalry.
