Oleksandr Usyk delivered an emotional line to his late father after beating Tyson Fury in Riyadh, it has been revealed.
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight world champion of the four-belt era thanks to his split decision win over Fury, scoring 115-112, 113-114, 114-113.
The Ukrainian extended his winning record to 22 fights and has once again cemented his place among the all-time greats.
As DAZN rammed a mic to the mouth of the man everyone wanted to hear from, he first took a moment to share his success with his late dad.
‘Dad, do you hear me? We did it!’ he said in Ukrainian, according to journalist Ine Back Iversen.
Oleksandr Usyk had a moment with his late father after beating Tyson Fury in their title fight
Usyk (left) produced a stunning comeback to beat Fury (right) on Saturday night in Riyadh
Usyk’s father passed away shortly after his son won Olympic Gold in London in 2012.
Billed as the Ring of Fire, this gutsy showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was arguably the biggest of the 21st century.
Fury lost his spotless record of 35 wins without defeat and though he claimed he wanted to activate the rematch clause, the reaction to his prospects has been mixed.
Usyk was quick out of the blocks and pinned Fury against the ropes and in the corner in the opening rounds.
In the mid-section of the fight, Fury reclaimed territory with good combinations, body blows, and fierce uppercuts.
However, the superior endurance of Usyk prevailed and he edged the closing rounds.
A flurry of stunning shots in the ninth round proved critical, causing Fury to lose his balance and whereabouts.
The referee almost counted Fury out and though he was saved by the bell, he was thrown off for the first half of the next round, clearly dazed.
Fury started the fight well however began to fade as the heavyweight title bout went on
The Ukrainian had Fury troubled in the ninth round and nearly knocked out the Gypsy King
The victory sees Usyk become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in this century
Fury made the stunning claim that ‘people are siding with the country at war’ and thinks he won the fight
"I believe I won that fight!" 💢
Tyson Fury reacts to defeat against Oleksandr Usyk 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/OIwO3w3EGs
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) May 18, 2024
Fury sensationally claimed that Usyk was awarded split-decision victory in their world heavyweight title fight ‘because his country is at war’.
‘I believe I won that fight,’ he said to DAZN. ‘And I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them.’
He added: ‘I believe we both put on a good fight – best we could do. And, you know, his country is at war. People are siding with the country at war.
