The official scorecards have been released after Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury for the second time in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The heavyweight pair went toe-to-toe seven months on from their first fight, which Usyk won via split decision to become undisputed champion of boxing’s blue-riband division.
It was another thrilling fight where both men had moments of success, but the judges felt there was a clear winner after 12 rounds as they all scored the bout 116-112 to Usyk.
And it has now been revealed how they got to that verdict.
It transpires that Fury was winning on all three cards after five rounds, with two judges scoring it 3-2 in his favour, while the other had him 4-1 up.
But they all agreed that Usyk turned the tide in the second half of the contest. One judge, Patrick Morley, gave the Ukrainian each of the last seven rounds, whereas Gerardo Martinez felt Usyk swept rounds six to 11, before he gave the nod to Fury in the 12th.
Ignacio Robles, who was only named as the third judge for Saturday night’s main event after a coin toss earlier in the day, also gave Usyk six of the final seven rounds.
Interestingly, he scored the ninth round, which went so badly wrong for Fury back in May, in the Gypsy King’s favour.
The judges were all in agreement on the final result, but some observers felt Fury had been harshly treated after pushing Usyk all the way.
The man himself was certainly of that view as he stormed out of the ring after the decision was announced, and he claimed backstage that he felt he had ‘won by at least seven rounds’.
His promoter, Frank Warren, was equally perplexed.
‘How can Tyson only get four rounds in this fight?’ Warren ranted in the ring.
‘It’s impossible. He got four rounds, each gave him four rounds, all different rounds.’
‘He’s very disappointed, as I am as well. But I mean, I’m not saying there’s any bias [but] everybody along the front there, we all thought the same.’
‘Nuts. I don’t get it. I’m really, really disappointed with that.’
Warren was also disgusted that Fury had not been given any credit for his work in the second half of that fight.
After hearing that Usyk had dominated the closing rounds on the scorecards, Warren continued: ‘How can that be? That’s impossible. And same with the other judge here, you give him one round at the last at the last six, and the same here with this guy.
‘It’s crazy. And I’m calm and collected. I’m not screaming and shouting. That is a nonsense.’
But, despite Fury and Warren’s protestations, the men that mattered went with Usyk on another night of high drama.
