Send me in for Usyk: Fury

JEDDAH • Oleksandr Usyk has rival heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in his sights after beating Britain's Anthony Joshua on a split-points decision to retain his World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation belts in Jeddah.

The "Rage on the Red Sea" in Saudi Arabia was a rematch of a fight in London last September, which the Ukrainian won via unanimous decision.

The pressure was on both former Olympic champions, with Usyk this time representing a country fighting for its existence after February's invasion by Russia, while Joshua was battling for his boxing future following his second career defeat.

Usyk appeared comfortably ahead as the final bell rang at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena but the American judge surprisingly awarded the fight 115-113 to Joshua.

The British and Ukrainian judges decided 115-113 and 116-112 to Usyk, taking the 35-year-old's professional record to 20 fights undefeated while Joshua, 32, suffered his third defeat in what could prove a watershed in his career.

Joshua later had two meltdowns - one in the ring and one during his post-fight press conference, when he broke down in tears and had to take time out to compose himself.

He took two of Usyk's belts, dropping them as he left the ring and headed for the dressing room, before turning around and stepping back between the ropes to address the crowd.

"Usyk is one hell of a fighter. That's just emotion," he said. "For this guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could've done better but it shows the levels of hard work he must have put in, so please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.

"I was studying Ukraine and all the champions from your amazing country. I've never been there. What's happening there, I don't know but it's not nice... under those circumstances he's managed to become champion."

An emotional Joshua later said: "I'm upset, really, deep down in my heart. I tried a different style... in the last fight I wanted to compete as a boxer, but it wasn't good enough, and tonight wasn't good enough."

Joshua enjoyed his best round in the ninth but could not sufficiently press his opponent, an agile, elusive and more technically sound boxer who used his jab and body shots to good effect.

Fury's fighting style is similar to Usyk's and, while the World Boxing Council champion has made repeated claims since his April victory over compatriot Dillian Whyte that he had "retired" from fighting, he took to social media in the immediate aftermath of Joshua's loss.

Calling himself the "Gypsy barbarian", Fury said: "Send me in. I'll relieve the Ukrainian d***** of his belts. It's not going to be cheap, if you want the best, you've got to pay."

Usyk also declared his interest in the mega-money blockbuster fight, saying: "I am convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. And if I'm not fighting Tyson Fury, I'm not fighting at all."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed a "difficult but important and necessary victory" as he paid tribute to Usyk, who shaved his entire head bald except for a single lock of hair in honour of his Cossack heritage.

The Cossacks are a group of people of East Slavic origin who live in south and east Ukraine and parts of Russia, and have a rich military and war history.

"Defending a world championship title is a symbol that whoever is from the Cossack tradition will not give up what is his, will fight for it and will win without any doubt," Mr Zelensky wrote on Facebook.

REUTERS