Oleksandr Usyk became a huge part of history last night. The Ukraine native battled his way to claiming the boxing undisputed heavyweight champion status–beating a previously unbeaten Tyson Fury to do so.
Both men entered the ring without a single loss on their records, and the result proved why they’re two of the very best the sport has ever seen. In the end, it was Usyk who got his hand raised, though Fury will now activate his immediate rematch clause after his razor-close split decision defeat.
As the matchup was unfolding, fellow combat sports athletes had much to say about the instant-classic affair.
What a round!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 18, 2024
So good to watch! Who you got?#FuryUsyk
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) May 18, 2024
Great fight, good decision too
— Arnold billy allen (@Arnoldbfa) May 18, 2024
Good decision on a wild fight. #FuryUsyk
— Jason Mayhem Miller (@mayhemmiller) May 18, 2024
This is a great fight 👏🏼 #FuryUsyk
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) May 18, 2024
The fight went back and forth between the two future Hall-of-Famers. Both boxers had their moments and both believed they did enough to get the nod from the judges as the scorecards were being read.
Following the result, fighters piled on the praise for Oleksandr Usyk and his brilliant display. Usyk fought through adversity and a visible size disadvantage to get his hand raised against Tyson Fury–which was acknowledged by the sports world.
Man yall better put some respect on @usykaa man. He definitely a candidate for #1 P4P fighter in the world. I’m no hater. He beat the man that beat the man in a bigger division, giving what he’s already done. Salute brother!
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) May 18, 2024
@usykaa @ringmagazine baddest man on the planet!!!!
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) May 18, 2024
The P4P number 1 fighter on the planet 🌍 who agrees? #furyusyk pic.twitter.com/oU1GVGgPVw
— Anthony Fowler (@afowler06) May 19, 2024
In the most unsurprising twist ever, the best heavyweight in the world isn’t a heavyweight… #FuryUsyk
— Zachary Makovsky (@ZachFunSize) May 18, 2024
I got Usyk winning. #FuryUsyk
— John Wayne Makdessi (@JohnMakdessi) May 18, 2024
Usyk had Fury in some serious trouble during the ninth round. ‘The Cat’ landed a powerful left hand that rocked his opponent, which then changed the tide of the fight and ultimately spurred him on to claim the victory.
Related: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk Official Scorecard
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones questioned whether the referee should have stopped the fight. Fury endured an enormous amount of punishment and was arguably saved by the bell as the ninth round came to a close.
Should that have been stopped?
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 18, 2024
The bout will undoubtedly go down in boxing history as the two then-undefeated titans collided with the undisputed title on the line.
While the night was filled with memorable moments, some saw the humorous side of the fight. One former UFC champion lead the way in making amusing comments about both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
I want Uysk’s outfit 🔥😂
— Rampage Jackson (@Rampage4real) May 18, 2024
Fury in round 9😂 pic.twitter.com/kMwNQMQx4A
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) May 19, 2024
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/conor-mcgregor-and-other-pro-fighters-react-to-oleksandr-usyks-win-over-tyson-fury
