British heavyweight Tyson Fury said the judges made a mistake in awarding a unanimous decision win to Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine in their clash for the WBA (Super), WBO and WBC titles at the Kingdom Arena on Saturday night, claiming he should have won.

Fury fell to the second defeat of his professional career, both of which have come against Usyk, as he missed the chance to win the belts despite a much better performance in a rematch of their May bout, which he lost by split decision.

“I was quite confident. I thought I won that fight again… I thought I’ve won both fights. But then again, I’ve gone home with two losses on my record now, so there’s not much I can do about it,” Fury told a press conference.

“I can just fight my heart out and do the best I can, but again, I’ll always believe until a day I die, I won that fight.”

Fury said he had been on the front foot all night, but in truth Usyk, who gave up big advantages in terms of height, weight and reach, was the more dominant fighter for the majority of the contest as he scored another decision win.

“It is what it is. I’m not going to cry over spilled milk, it’s happened now. I know boxing, I’ve been in it all my life. You can’t change no decisions, but I’ll just always feel a little bit hard done-by. Not a little bit actually – a lot,” Fury said.

The 36-year-old waved away talk of what is next for him after his second straight defeat.

“I’m going to go home and have a good Christmas, I’ve been away 12 weeks, I put a lot of work in for this fight, I’m going to go home now and enjoy it,” he said.

-Reuters

 Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Tyson Fury to retain the WBA (Super), WBO and WBC world heavyweight titles in Riyadh, saying the boxer embodied the fighting spirit of Ukrainians.

Undefeated Usyk, who took Fury’s WBC belt in their first bout in May, beat the British two-time world champion in the rematch by unanimous decision, handing him the second loss of his professional career.

“Victory! So important and so needed by all of us right now,” Zelenskiy, who had led Ukraine in its war with Russia since Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022, wrote on X.

“By defending his championship belt, Oleksandr Usyk proves: we are Ukrainians and we will not give up what is ours! No matter how hard it gets – we will overcome everything.

“Whether it is in the ring, on the battlefield or in the diplomatic arena – we will fight and we will not give up what is ours! Congratulations on your victory, Cossack! Congratulations on your victory, Ukraine!”

Former world champion Wladimir Klitschko, who enlisted in the Ukrainian military reserves before Russia’s invasion, was at the Kingdom Arena to witness Usyk’s victory.

“Ukraine is fortunate to have you. You’re a true standard-bearer of our resilience… glory to Ukraine,” Klitschko wrote on X.

-Reuters

 Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Tyson Fury insisted that there would be no joking around ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, as both heavyweights were subdued in a bizarre press conference on Thursday.

Usyk beat Fury on a split-decision in Saudi Arabia in May to become a four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion, and the pair will meet once again at the same Kingdom Arena venue on Saturday in Riyadh with the WBC, WBO and WBA titles on the line.

In a news conference before the bout, both fighters gave curt opening statements before engaging in a tense and drawn out faceoff that went on for over 11 minutes.

They were eventually separated by their entourages after a heated exchange.

Fury, garrulous even by the standards of a sport that thrives on trash-talking, was unusually quiet in the press conference and said he was fully focused on revenge.

“I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain,” a bearded Fury said.

“I’ve got nothing to say, apart from there is going to be a lot of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch. That’s all I got to say. Talking’s been done. The first fight I talked, I joked – all my career – this time, I am serious.

“I am going to do some serious damage. Watch me go to work. Can’t wait for Saturday night. Thank you everybody involved. God bless.”

Fury’s silence was the latest of a string of strange decisions in recent days, with the boxer not throwing a single punch during a public workout on Wednesday and reportedly banning his father from his corner for the bout.

Usyk, for his part, was typically business-like.

“Now we have just a performance with lights and cameras. Everything will take place on Saturday…,” the Ukrainian said.

“Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”

Promoter Bob Arum said he had confidence in Fury’s ability to win the rematch, pointing to the Briton’s dominant victory over former WBC champion Deontay Wilder in the second bout of their trilogy.

“I’m not only Tyson Fury’s co-promoter but I’m a Tyson Fury fan,” Arum said.

“For anyone who watched the second Fury-Wilder fight, remember the first was a draw, Tyson knew what he had to do and he won that second fight in a one-sided way.

“I’m looking forward to him fighting in that way and being successful on Saturday. That being said, he’s fighting a tough, tough, skilled Ukrainian.”

Promising 19-year-old heavyweight Moses Itauma and Australia’s Demsey McKean, a former sparring partner of two-times world champion Anthony Joshua, will fight on the undercard of the Usyk v Fury clash.

“I’m just a teenager from Chatham and it’s crazy that I’m here on the same table as Tyson Fury – I’m grateful,” Itauma said.

“I’m living this up as much as I can.”

-Reuters

 Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H