Tyson Fury Blames Epic Defeat By Oleksandr Usyk On Ukraine War Sympathies

Oleksandr Usyk(21-0, 14 KOs) beat Tyson Fury(34-0-1, 24 KOs) to become the new undisputed heavyweight champion in an epic fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. One judge scored it for Fury, 114-113, but overruled by 115-112 and 114-113 tallies for the Ukrainian.

Usyk, 37, took the initiative in the opening round as he controlled the centre of the ring with Fury attempting to laugh off the Ukrainian's accurate blows.

The Gypsy King was on the back foot again to start the second round as Usyk landed a huge one-two and continued pushing Fury back into the corners.

Fury, 35, began to look more a bit comfortable in the middle rounds as he began to land more body shots and stepped forward more often.

The Briton continued playing up to the crowd and teasing Usyk and that appeared to grate at the Ukrainian boxer, who had a noticeable cut above his eye in the fifth round.

The teasing stopped in the sixth round as Fury sensed a possible stoppage after landing some big blows that rocked Usyk.

Usyk turned the tables in the eighth round with a huge left hand drawing blood from Fury's nose with the bout evenly matched. Tje Gypsy King's eye, where he suffered the cut that postponed the original fight, also began to swell up as Usyk began to step forward once more.

The turning moment came in the very next round though when Usyk had Fury out on his feet with a huge left hand leaving his opponent staggering around the ring. It was ruled a knockdown as the Gypsy King stood their motionless in the corner, and was saved by the bell.

That moment turned the fight in Usyk's favour.

Usyk, visibly emotional after being crowned undisputed champion, burst into tears during his interview in the ring. He paid tribute to his late father, who passed away just days after he won gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

"I'm very happy," he said. "My people will be very happy I think, it's a big win, not only for me, it's a big win for my country, for soldiers who now defend my country. I think my father now is watching over me and is very happy. Dad, I love you. I can, you told me I can."

Fury however, felt he was robbed of victory against Usyk and suggested that the judges favored the 37-year-old because of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Make no mistake I won that fight and I'll be back," Fury said. "We go back to our families and we run it back in October. I'm not going to sit here and cry and make excuses. I believe I won that fight, I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them. We both put on a good fight. His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war."

Fury has since been criticised for the comments, with some fans on social media accusing him of being a bad loser. However the Gypsy King is not backing down.

Speaking at the Kingdom Arena, he said: "It was what it was. It's not up to the fighters. One of the judges had me winning, two of them didn't. It was what it was."

Fury had suggested a rematch would happen once the bout was done. And Usyk was quick to accept, with the Ukrainian eager to face the Briton for a second time. "Yes of course, I am ready for the rematch," he said. "We have a winner. There wasn't the knockout but no problem. We have a winner."

The rematch is planned for Oct. 12/13 in Riyadh.

WATCH highlights of the boxing match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk