Tyson Fury strongly believes he deserved to win his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, asserting the Ukrainian “received a bit of a Christmas gift from the judges” in their decision.
The heavyweight clash, held in Riyadh, saw 12 intense rounds before the judges awarded Usyk a unanimous 116-112 victory, handing Fury his second consecutive defeat.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Fury expressed frustration with the result, insisting he had done enough to secure the win.
“I thought I won the fight,” Fury said. “I felt like I got Larry Holmes-ed here. I believed I won both fights. But now, with two losses on my record, there’s not much I can do. I’ll always believe, until the day I die, that I won that fight.”
Fury elaborated on his performance, claiming he dominated the bout.
“I was on the front foot all night, landing shots to the body and head. Scoring can be tricky sometimes.
Frank [Warren, Fury’s co-promoter] had me three or four rounds up, and many others had me ahead by two rounds. But I’m not going to cry over spilt milk.
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I’ve been in boxing my entire life, and decisions don’t change, though I’ll always feel hard done by.”
The former champion acknowledged the importance of knockouts in securing victories, stating,
“When you don’t get a knockout, you can’t guarantee a win.”
Addressing claims that Usyk’s mentality gave him the edge, Fury dismissed the idea.
“I didn’t feel any special spirit from him.
Maybe a bit of Christmas spirit, but I think the judges gave him a Christmas gift. There’s no doubt in my mind I won the fight.”
As for his future, Fury remained non-committal about continuing his career.
“I’m taking some time off,” he said. “I might fight again, I might not. Who knows? We’ll talk about it next year.”
Talk of a trilogy fight has already surfaced, with co-promoter Frank Warren hinting at a contractual obligation for a second rematch. However, neither Fury nor Usyk has confirmed their next moves.
This controversial outcome adds fuel to the ongoing rivalry between the two heavyweight titans, leaving fans eager to see what comes next.
