Oleksandr Usyk has beaten Anthony Joshua on points to retain his unified heavyweight boxing titles in Jeddah.
In another tense tactical display, neither boxer was able to finish the fight inside the distance, as Usyk out-boxed Joshua for the second time.
The judges gave Usyk (20-0) a split points decision victory, 113-115, 115-113 and 116-112 as the Ukrainian added the vacant Ring title to his IBF, WBO and WBA straps.
Joshua (24-3), who suffered his third defeat in five fights, cut a dejected and frustrated figure in the ring, stalking away after the decision was read.
However, he then returned to the ring, tossed two of the belts to the floor and confronted a conciliatory Usyk in the corner, as if he could not believe that his best was not good enough.
"I don't care about strong, I care about skills," he said.
"Being strong doesn't win boxing ... skills win boxing.
"You're not strong, how did you beat me?"
Joshua then took the microphone and commenced a concerning, rambling soliloquy as organisers tried in vain to usher him away.
It was an almost pitiful end to the Briton's reign at the pinnacle of the heavyweight division — but should not detract from the buzz he helped create around the sport in the wake of the Klitchko era — and the tactical masterclass he just played a huge part in.
Joshua might not believe Usyk was strong, but in truth the Ukrainian showed both mental and physical resilience aplenty in another intriguing contest between the two men.
"I devote this victory to my country," Usyk said in the ring, draped in the Ukrainian flag.
In the fight, Usyk showed why he's destined to be remembered as a pound-for-pound great, adapting on the fly to a more assertive Joshua in the early rounds to take control of the contest.
He used his movement and jab to keep Joshua at bay and establish a lead on the scorecards after a tense opening few rounds.
Joshua said in the build-up that he could not outbox Usyk, but the Ukrainian sucked him into a boxing chess match once more, one he was comfortably winning with his busy, bobbing style once again creating an elusive target that Joshua failed to get to grips with through the middle rounds.
That all changed in rounds eight and nine as Joshua finally targeted the body with a brutal assault that had the champion wobbling.
That Usyk withstood that punishment was impressive enough, but by coming out in the tenth round with a flurry of his own spoke volumes of his character as he wrested control from a tiring Joshua.
'I would annihilate both of them: Tyson Fury responds
Usyk now stands atop the heavyweight division with just one impediment to him being able to call himself undisputed — the retired Tyson Fury.
"I'm sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet," Usyk said through a translator.
"I want to fight him.
"If I'm not fighting Tyson Fury, I'm not fighting at all."
Fury (33-0-1) though, seemed less than impressed with what he saw, posting a video to Twitter in which he appeared to say that he would be keen on a fight.
"To be honest with you guys, after watching that, both of them were s****," he said.
"It was one of the worstest heavyweight title fights I have ever seen.
"I would annihilate both of them on the same night.
"Get your f****** cheque book out because the Gypsy King is here to stay, forever."
Fury has announced his retirement twice since he last fought, a knock out victory over Dillian Whyte in London, although many fans suspected that he would re-enter the ring for a bout against the winner of this contest.
The unbeaten 34-year-old has held all four belts at some stage of his career, but never all at the same time.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our blog.
Key events
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Live updates
By Simon Smale
That's all from us
We'll wrap things up here.
What a performance from Oleksandr Usyk.
He was put under pressure there from Joshua and did so well to recover from what was a brutal assault to the body in the eighth and ninth.
That it took so long for Joshua to get to that stage in the fight speaks volumes both of Usyk's elusiveness, but also the same muddled thinking that plagued their first fight.
Joshua had been told to work the body, impose himself on the contest, but in the end, could not make the pressure count.
Where to for him now? Time will tell, because that defeat hurt him badly.
The day though, and the division, now belong to Usyk.
He said he'll fight nobody but Fury, so the ball is now in the Gypsy King's court as to whether we'll see that fight at some point down the line.
Thanks for being with me this morning, we'll be back soon I'm sure.
By Simon Smale
More of your thoughts
As much as I feel for AJ that was not a split decision. That was unanimous to Usyk. He deserved to win the fight regardless. What a fighter! What a pro ! Bring on Tyson Fury but knowing Fury he'll probably want half a billion lol
- oktrythis
I think you're right.
Fury will want a lot of cash, he's made no secret of that.
By Simon Smale
Terence Crawford was watching on
He believed Usyk won.
Despite all his experience, he can't quite understand boxing scoring either...
By Simon Smale
Some advice for AJ
Kudos for Joshua but time to sit back and smell the roses mate.
- Mike the Mauler
By Simon Smale
Where now for AJ
Where does that leave AJ for future fights ?
- Dale
Anthony Joshua is hurting right now.
That much is clear.
But the future is not clear at all to be honest.
There are British fighters who might pose a challenge and some decent money - which lets be honest, is the main thing.
However, it's hard to see him getting another shot at a world title any time soon.
There are elimination fights happening all over the place for a shot at Usyk, who only wants Fury for the undisputed.
I hope he goes away and licks his wounds and comes back stronger, but it might take a while for him to recover from this.
By Simon Smale
'He's just too good' Eddie Hearn
Eddie Hearn says that Usyk was deserved winner.
"He's just too good. There's no shame in that," he says.
He says he felt Usyk won the fight.
By Simon Smale
Usyk wants Tyson Fury
Olekssandr Usyk wants to go unanimous.
"I'm sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet," he says.
"I want to fight him.
"If I'm not fighting Tyson Fury, I'm not fighting at all."
By Simon Smale
'I devote this victory to my country': Usyk
Here's the champion.
Through a translator, he says he wants to thank everyone who prayed for him
"I want to thank God for the help he gave to me today
"My lord is my saviour, Jesus Christ."
He now takes the mic.
"Thank you so much.
"Thank you thank you thank you so much. Inshallah."
He now goes back to the translator.
"I devote this victory to my country," he says.
"The people, the military who defend my country."
On the fight, he says: "This is already history, Many generations will watch this fight.
He says that he dealt with being put under pressure and stood tall.
He adds that of course he thinks he won the title.
He said a lot more than that in Ukrainian, but there was a smile with the translator.
By Simon Smale
'You're not strong, how did you beat me?': Joshua
Joshua moves to 24-3, a third defeat in his last five fights.
He leaves the ring and now comes back into the ring again. Not sure what that's all about.
Anthony Joshua has the mic and is delivering an impassioned speech.
He picked up two of the belts and threw them down on the floor and is now speaking to Usyk, right in his face.
"I don't care about strong, I care about skills," Joshua shouts.
"Being strong doesn't win boxing ... skills win boxing.
"You're not strong, how did you beat me?
"I got skilled. I've had character and determination."
Usyk tried to calm Joshua down, but now he has taken the mic.
He's very frustrated, talking about his upbringing and how much passion he has put into boxing.
"If you knew my story, you'd understand the passion," he says, talking about when he went to jail as a youngster.
"It shows the passion we put into this. For this guy to beat me tonight, it shows the levels of hard work he must have put in so please give him a round of applause as heavyweight champion of world."
He says that he might have done better, but he's a big heavyweight and it's hard to throw combinations.
"They said that I’m not a 12-round fighter. I ain’t 14 stone, I’m 18 stone, I'm heavy. It’s hard work. This guy here is phenomenal."
He leads the crowd in five cheers to Usyk.
He has the mic still, he's talking about Ukraine now. It's a bit rambling and I think the organisers want to take the mic off him.
Good luck.
"I’ve never been there. What’s happening there, I don’t know but it’s not nice. For Usyk to be champion, under those circumstances .. it's incredible."
That's quite unusual. In all honesty, that was bizarre.
By Simon Smale
Olekssandr Usyk retains his titles
115-113 to AJ!
115-113 to Usyk.
116-112 to Usyk!
Usyk is still the unified heavyweight champion of the world!
A split decision win.
By Simon Smale
Plenty of respect in the middle
Anthony Joshua was speaking to Usyk there, offering his help to support Ukraine.
Both men hold up the flag of Ukraine in the ring.
We await the judges scorecards...
By Simon Smale
This will be close
Anthony Joshua does not look like he won the fight.
Usyk did not celebrate either.
I have Usyk winning 115-113.
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 12
Can Joshua find Usyk with those crushing body shots?
Not likely, although he lands a good shot there, and a good right hand down the middle that rocks the head back.
Usyk is constantly throwing those hands, worrying Joshua.
Good combination from Usyk.
Good left from Joshua! Is Usyk wobbled?! Joshua doesn't follow up and Usyk recovers and responds.
There's been no sustained pressure from Joshua.
Joshua tries to crowd Usyk and leans all over him in the clinch.
Big right from Joshua lands.
Usyk stands tall though.
Joshua misses ans ducks into a combination.
It's been a good round from Joshua, but it's not been enough.
By Simon Smale
How do you have the scores?
Usyk absorbing some punishment but still has it 5/4/1 i reckon...
- Mike the Mauler
I agree, I have Usyk up by three.
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 11
The last two rounds have been a see-saw.
First Joshua, now Usyk.
Who will keep the foot on the pedal?
A left from Usyk lands to the head.
Joshua comes forward still though, landing with a jab but he's countered.
Good right hook from Usyk.
Upper cut from Usyk in response to some Joshua body work.
A clubbing right gets behind the guard of Joshua.
Joshua lands to the body and Usyk has to tie up.
Joshua misses with an upper cut and Usyk counters with an overhand left to the head.
Jab from Usyk lands.
Joshua is caught a couple more times.
Pawing jabs from both men worry each other's faces.
Good body shot from Usyk.
Usyk lands another couple of shots to the head and the champion is cruising towards a title defence having weathered a pretty serious storm.
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 10
Joshua has become the bully.
Usyk though lands with a flurry, upping the work rate.
Good shot from Usyk! A couple of good shots to the body and head.
Big left from Usyk! Joshua in trouble is he?
Great response from the champion!
Joshua still comes forward but Usyk is landing.
BIG SHOT FROM JOSHUA THAT SENDS USYK STAGGERING BACK!
It was followed by a body shot that Usyk felt was low.
Great round.
Usyk gets a couple of land, a left upper cut and a right to the head land.
Joshua leans back against the ropes and invites Usyk onto him.
Usyk doesn't take the bait.
Joshua lands with the head of Usyk, but it's the champion who is landing more!
Power shots from Usyk land and that's a superb response from Usyk.
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 9
Can Joshua build on that last round?
Joshua jabs, Usyk retreats to the left and the back.
Usyk lands with a neat little combo.
They clinch on the ropes. Joshua flashes a shot in front of Usyk's face.
Usyk lands with a cheeky right.
Joshua lands to the body, Usyk lands over the top in repsonse.
Good upper cut to the body from Joshua!
Usyk has stopped moving as much.
Good right left combo to the head from Joshua!
Joshua lands to the body again! The crowd are up.
Now he's on the charge! Usyk is running and running hard to get away from the British former champion!
This is much, much better from the Brit, he lands a hook to the body, stalking the champion around the ring.
Joshua is finally using his physicality and Usyk does not like it!
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 8
There's moisture on the middle of the ring. We're having that mopped up.
Now we can start again.
Usyk slips in and lands a jab.
Joshua clubs him to the body with his right hand, enough to knock Usyk off balance but not enough to hurt him at all.
Lovely shot from Usyk but Joshua lands to the body! And again! Better from Joshua.
Usyk lands with a couple of jabs that keeps Joshua honest, nothing more.
Joshua lands with a good body shot and then just misses with a right!
Right upper cut from Joshua and then he follows up to the body as well! Good shots from Joshua, a good combo to the body.
Usyk responds with a right but Joshua ducks away.
Big right lands from Joshua after a solid combo.
Joshua lands with some body shots and Joshua smiles at the bell.
His best round of the fight?
Usyk does not like those body shots into the liver. He needs more of those.
By Simon Smale
Usyk vs Joshua, Round 7
Joshua paws out the jab and flickers at his eyes.
They engage and get together and Joshua lands with some good body shots.
Usyk responds at range.
Joshua attempts a right but misses, Usyk misses with a jab.
Usyk flicks a jab up at Joshua's eyes but falls short.
Usyk lands a combination to the body.
There's a lot of shadow boxing, tentative shots not being thrown, heads wobbling.
Good body shot from Usyk.
Two, no three good lefts rock the head of Joshua in close.
Joshua is not applying that pressure any more.
The Brit lands to the body but the pair are dancing now - and Usyk is a one of the best dancers in the world in these situations.
Usyk is just slipping the jab and landing the left into the head.
Joshua is getting outboxed. Again.
