Oleksandr Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years with an historic win over Tyson Fury.
In a fight for the ages, Usyk dropped Fury in the ninth round and left the Brit staggering around the ring on unsteady legs en route to his split decision victory.
Usyk now holds all the belts as the world heavyweight championCredit: GETTY
At the end of the fight, the scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 in the Ukrainian’s favour while the third judge gave it to Fury at 114-113 as the Brit fell to defeat for the first time.
The last time all the belts were on the line in boxing’s glamour division, Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield for the distinction over the distance in November 1999 when their were three belts up for grabs.
But at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Usyk made history by picking up the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO titles to become the inaugural undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, which now sees him ranked as an all-time great.
From the off, a cagey opener ensued as both men felt out one another, prodding with their jabs and feinting.
The best shot of the round was landed by Usyk who caught Fury with a good backhand that snapped back ‘The Gypsy King’s’ head.
Another pitch-perfect, looping left-hand landed early in the second round.
Fury taunted and jeered but there was nothing funny about the scoring punches he was eating.
The Brit landed his first meaningful shot to the body towards the end of the round, a sweeping bolo punch that was swiftly followed by a shovel uppercut.
The loss marked a first for Fury, who will now be targeting the rematchCredit: GETTY
Fury, who held the WBC strap, was wobbled late on and it was only the ropes that kept him on his feetCredit: GETTY
In the lead-up to fight night, Usyk insisted ‘he would not leave Fury alone’ and he certainly didn’t.
The Ukrainian, who has been criticised in the past for starting too slowly, got off to a quick start and continually forced Fury onto his heels.
Fury responded by holding and leaning on Usyk in the hopes of draining his smaller foe.
In round four, Fury started to get into his rhythm and began to land a meaty right hand to the body after touching Usyk upstairs with his jab.
Taunting and jeering with every step, a confident Fury closed out his best round of the fight in style.
Heading into round five, there was a small nick above Usyk’s eye, likely caused by a clash of heads in the previous frame.
Fury continued investing to the body and kept Usyk guessing by whipping a right hand to the body and then to the head.
Fans were stunned at Fury’s refusal to hit the deck and he is adamant he won the fightCredit: GETTY
After a bright start, Usyk was left struggling to find the target with the left hand that he had found such success with early doors.
In round six, Fury landed a clean right uppercut that wobbled Usyk. He then followed up with a vicious flurry to the body before a deflated Usyk made his way back to his stool.
Heading into the second half of the fight, Usyk began to find a second wind and started to find a home for his overhand left once again.
At the end of the eighth, there was a lot of swelling under Fury’s right eye.
Suddenly the tables had turned.
Usyk swarmed Fury in the ninth and hurt him badly with a flurry of shots as the Mancunian was left staggering all over the ring.
Held up by the ropes, a count was administered but Fury made his way to his feet to see out the round.
Usyk continued pouring on the pressure in the 10th while Fury looked to stay out of trouble.
In the championship rounds, the bounce was back in Fury’s step as he looked to have got his senses back together.
Heading into the final round, it was hard to split the heavyweight titans although the knockdown had Usyk ahead with the DAZN broadcast team.
Fury landed a good straight right mid-way through the frame that stunned Usyk but the Brit let him off the hook.
Usyk came back firing and would edge the nip-and-tuck affair with the judges.
Speaking after the fight, Usyk who is now a two-weight undisputed champion having previously reigned supreme at cruiserweight, took to the mic.
Usyk and Fury will run it back on October 12/13Credit: GETTY
“Since 2008 I was planning for this. It’s not for my win,” he said.
“It’s for my God, my supporters, my country, the Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian mother and father, children.
“I want to go to my home, I want to rest, a break, I want to eat, sleep, kiss my wife.”
Fury was then passed the mic and added: “I believe I won that fight – I believe he won a few of the rounds but I won the majority of them.
“What can you do? It’s one of the decisions in boxing. We both put on a good fight. Best we could do…
“I’ll be back, I’ve got a rematch clause.
Usyk embraced his wife Yekaterina after realising his wildest dreamsCredit: Getty
“We go back. Have a little rest up, spend some time with my family and we go again in October.”
The pair are now set to run it back on October 12/13 as part of the two-way rematch clause in their contracts.
It was suspected that Usyk has suffered a broken jaw in the punishing showdown, and he was carried to his dressing room by his team and reportedly taken straight to hospital.
He was set to miss the post-fight press conference but did actually arrive and addressed the media after completing his historic feat.
During the post-fight statement, he burst into tears after discussing his late father who passed days after he won a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Usyk was left sobbing at an emotionally charged press conferenceCredit: Getty
Usyk found it hard to process the scale of his achievementsCredit: Getty
He said in an emotional speech while wiping tears from his eyes: “Last time when my father saw me was in my dreams.
“I miss my father and I said to him ‘hey listen, you live there and I live here, please don’t come for me, I love you.
“For me it is hard when my father comes back to me because I remember all life, I know he is here, maybe sitting out there [in the press room].”
A whole host of sporting royalty were sat ringside for the monumental blue-riband clash, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and the pair’s main rival Anthony Joshua.
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