Round 1
Usyk and Fury practically sprint from their corners to meet each other in the center of the ring and Fury is already looking more aggressive than in round one of the first fight, pumping his jab with urgency. Usyk bursts into the pocket and lands a right hand upstairs. The 55lb weight difference looks even starker under the lights than at the weigh-in. Fury targeting Usyk’s body with straight shots. Both fighters opening up, eschewing the typical feeling-out period. More body shots from Fury. Usyk’s balletic footwork creating an elusive target for the challenger. Usyk barrels in and clips Fury with a left hand. A frantic pace!
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Fury Judges 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Usyk
Round 2
Fury showing good variation with his lead hand, but Usyk has claimed the center of the ring. Fury is throwing less than he did in the first round while Usyk continues to work the body. A double-jab from Fury backs Usyk up but the champion keeps with in-and-out movement. Usyk is really punishing Fury with a barrage of hard left hands to the midsection. Those could pay off down the road. But Fury does enough to nick a very even round with a crisp right hand to Usyk’s temple.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Fury Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Fury
Round 3
Usyk continues to move in and out of Fury’s range, doing his best to neutralize the challenger’s attack with deft footwork. Usyk is barely missing with combinations but Fury is looking a bit more tentative than he did in the opening minutes. The champion continues with dedicated body work, but Fury is finding success with the lead left hook. Another very close round but Usyk has done just enough to take it on our card.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Usyk
Round 4
The frenetic pace continues as Usyk continues to land more while throwing less. Fury switches to a southpaw stance and Usyk lands a one-two combination followed by a massive left hand that appears to hurt Fury! He’s backed up to the ropes and the crowd swells! Fury switches back to orthodox and fires back with confidence, holding off the oncoming champion with a flush right uppercut. This is high-level stuff from both men with so little to separate them after four rounds.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Fury
Round 5
Fury lands a punishing right uppercut to the body, his best shot of the fight. He’s finally using his size and crowding the champion, tying Usyk up along the ropes and trying to lean on him, only the first time he’s managed to get him in the clinch. The round ends with Fury walking down his foe, throwing and landing more shots. Another very competitive round but the easiest of the fight to score thus far.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Fury Judges 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Fury
Round 6
The pace has slowed a touch at the start of the sixth but who can blame them? Usyk lands an overhand right but Fury returns with a jab-left hook combination. Usyk lands a crisp one-two combo to the head punctuated by a left hand over the top. More excellent lateral movement from Usyk, who catches Fury with his guard down near the end of the round and lands a flush overhand left hand upstairs that buzzes the challenger! Halfway through the scheduled 12 rounds and we’ve got another classic in the offing.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Round 7
Usyk fighting off the front foot in the first minute of the seventh as Fury appears to be feeling the pace. The referee is breaking up all of these clinches quickly, which plays in the champion’s favor. Usyk lunges in and lands a left hand upstairs that hurts Fury! Fury is on the back foot, his activity slowing down quite a bit, with Usyk hunting him down. Fury switches to southpaw again near the end of the round and Usyk catches him with another left to the head. That Usyk left hand won the round by itself.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Round 8
Fury is slowing down and you begin to wonder if the career-high weight is working against him. Usyk continues to keep the pressure on, moving forward relentlessly and firing away with left hands over the top. Now Fury comes forward while trying to re-establish his jab, but Usyk remains a slippery target before catching him with a combination upstairs followed by a body shot. What poise and composure from the champion, say nothing of his conditioning!
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Round 9
Compubox’s punch statistics through eight rounds indicate Usyk is throwing and landing more shots and doing so at a higher percentage, but this is still a competitive fight. For now, at least. The champion is really pushing this pace and Fury is having trouble keeping up. Usyk’s body work is slowing the challenger down, allowing the smaller man to stalk his foe and take the power out of Fury’s shots. By the end of the round Fury is moving entirely in reverse and looks completely exhausted.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Fury
Round 10
Fury is trying to hold the center of the ring but Usyk remains on the attack. Fury throws shots then leans on Usyk in clinches with greater success than in previous rounds. Usyk lands a couple of shots upstairs. A left hand from Usyk to the head and Fury immediately clinches. Fury lands an uppercut but Usyk fires right back with a combination! A two-way firefight near the end of the round but Usyk gets the better of it. Very close round, almost too close to call.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Fury Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Round 11
Usyk’s comprehensive boxing is making a bigger statement than Fury’s occasional pockets of success, which have mostly come with the uppercut. Usyk continues to press forward, throwing shots to the head and body from creative angles that Fury can’t account for. The challenger lands a pair of lumbering shots to the midsection but Usyk just smiles. Usyk’s dexterity is really taking over. He lands a left square on Fury’s chin that appears to stun the bigger man. The champion is in full command. Speed kills.
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Usyk Judges 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Round 12
Fury is pressing forward with urgency, seemingly knowing he needs a knockout, but he’d better be careful as Usyk is timing him carefully and looking to catch him on the way inside. Fury really letting his hands go, attacking with abandon while alternating between southpaw and orthodox stances, but Usyk is taking the shots well and giving back as good as he’s getting. The final bell sounds after three minutes of riveting two-way action and Usyk stands in the center of the ring looking skyward with gloves to the side. As good as it gets at the heavyweight level. What a fight!
How they scored it Bryan Graham 10-9 Fury Judges 10-9 Fury; 10-9 Usyk; 10-9 Usyk
Final scores
Bryan Graham 115-113 Usyk Judges 116-112 Usyk; 116-112 Usyk; 116-112 Usyk
