Oleksandr Usyk outpointed Tyson Fury again to retain his unified world heavyweight titles in another tense thriller in Riyadh.
Having narrowly edged a split decision in the thrilling first fight back in May, this time the Ukrainian won on all three judges’ scorecards - 116-112 across the board - after another close battle at the Kingdom Arena in which momentum swung back and forth throughout once more.
The result sees Usyk keep hold of his WBA (Super), WBC, WBO, IBO and The Ring belts and undefeated record, moving to 23-0 as he further cemented his status as among the greatest fighters of his or indeed perhaps any generation.
A frustrated Fury, meanwhile, has now suffered back-to-back defeats and will inevitably face questions over his future in boxing having failed to avenge his first-ever loss and secure a third reign as world heavyweight champion.
The scorecards were quickly derided by Fury’s promoter Frank Warren, who thought his fighter had won and could not understand how he had only been given four rounds by all three judges on the night.
Another of Warren’s heavyweight stable, Daniel Dubois, climbed into the ring to challenge Usyk to a rematch of their previous encounter in Poland back in the summer of 2023, when the Briton was stopped in nine rounds following a low-blow controversy that he felt robbed him of a career-best victory.
Dubois was upgraded to full IBF champion after becoming the interim title-holder with victory over Filip Hrgovic on the inaugural Queensberry vs Matchroom 5v5 card back in June, getting the full belt after Usyk was forced to vacate after the first Fury fight - and with it his short-lived status as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000.
However, Usyk appeared immediately receptive to such a callout and would presumably get the chance to become undisputed for a third time in his career if that rematch were to come to pass, with Dubois having viciously knocked out Anthony Joshua in five rounds in his successful first defence at Wembley Stadium in September.
On Saturday night’s undercard in Saudi Arabia, teenage heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma made another significant statement with a first-round demolition of Australian Demsey McKean to move to 11-0 with nine knockouts and add the vacant WBA International belt to his WBO Inter-Continental title.
Late replacement opponent Ishmael Davis - stepping in for the ill Israil Madrimov - retired in his corner after six tough rounds against Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk, who claimed the WBC interim super-welterweight title.
There was controversy in the all-British heavyweight showdown between Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen, with the undefeated ‘Romford Bull’ knocked down for the first time in his career as he faced a powerful onslaught in the second half of the fight before still edging a split decision.
Fury’s close friend and long-time sparring partner Isaac Lowe was dominated by Lee McGregor, who picked up the vacant WBC International featherweight belt.
Peter McGrail outlasted another late replacement opponent in Rhys Edwards in arguably the fight of the night at super-featherweight, after Ukrainian duo Daniel Lapin and Andrii Novytskyi had outpointed Dylan Colin and Edgar Ramirez respectively.
The undercard action in Riyadh kicked off with a second successive professional win for Saudi fighter ‘Mighty’ Mohammed Alakel, who dropped Colombia’s Joshua Ocampo twice en route to an impressive decision victory.
