Usyk cements legacy as best heavyweight of his generation

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- With 24 rounds between them and no need for a third bout following another Oleksandr Usyk victory -- this time more clearly than the first bout -- Tyson Fury leaned over and kissed his rival on the head as the heavyweight champion celebrated.

The show of respect isn't surprising after just how grueling these two fights were. With so much at stake -- Fury's quest to regain his titles as a three-time champion and Usyk's push to turn him back again -- it was Usyk who pulled away down the stretch on Saturday night.

Their May meeting, the front-runner for ESPN's Fight of the Year, established Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) as the world's best heavyweight and No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the ESPN rankings. The rematch meant even more. In addition to reinforcing that dual status, a second, more definitive victory cemented Usyk as the best heavyweight of his generation, the greatest fighter in boxing's glamour division since Lennox Lewis retired in 2004, and an all-time great.

When Usyk won gold at the amateur European Championships in 2008, he was a light heavyweight while his Ukrainian countryman, Wladimir Klitschko, reigned as heavyweight champion in the pros. Four years later, Usyk captured gold at the Olympic Games in London as a heavyweight while Anthony Joshua won a gold medal at super heavyweight. Years after that, as a pro, Usyk cleaned out the cruiserweight division as undisputed champion and defeated Joshua twice at heavyweight to become unified champion.

The May split-decision victory over Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) earned Usyk, 37, the undisputed championship at heavyweight, too. And in that fight, he came close to stopping Fury in Round 9 when he landed 14 unanswered punches and delivered Fury's eighth trip to the canvas of his career.

Seven months later, there was no seminal moment with either fighter in serious trouble. And while the bout was entertaining, it wasn't nearly as thrilling as the first meeting. Despite no knockdowns scored, Usyk's victory was never in doubt this time, winning via unanimous decision (116-112, 116-112, 116-112).

"I very respect this guy because I think he's very tough," Usyk told ESPN. "... Tyson Fury makes me strong. Tyson is a great opponent. Big man. He's a good man. Tyson, a lot of talk but it's just show."

Fury was adamant that he deserved the nod. When asked if he felt Usyk's spirit in the bout, Fury responded, "Yeah, Christmas spirit, he received a Christmas gift."

Usyk conceded this fight was easier than the first time.

Fury, 36, boxed well, particularly when he switched stances and fired a southpaw jab followed by punishing left hands. But like the first fight, he faded down the stretch. He lost Rounds 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 on all three scorecards.

"When you don't get the knockout, this is what can happen," Fury said. "... I did the best I could. If I could have done more, I would have done it, and that's it."

Usyk left no doubt he was the better fighter, even if many rounds were very close. A third bout isn't necessary. Two future Hall of Famers met over 24 rounds and Usyk proved that he was the better man despite a 50-plus-pound disadvantage and giving up nearly six inches in height.

Usyk will fight on, of course. There are tens of millions to be made as his star continues to grow and he brings more attention (and pride) to war-torn Ukraine. Daniel Dubois, whom Usyk KO'd in nine rounds in August 2023 in Poland, interrupted Usyk's postfight interview to call for a rematch.

"I want my revenge," said Dubois, who picked up the IBF title Usyk was stripped of in June with a fifth-round KO of Joshua in September.

Usyk quickly responded that he was ready for a rematch, but that fight won't approach the marquee stage he enjoyed this year with two wins over Fury, one of the sport's top stars. The first Dubois bout wasn't remotely competitive, and Usyk scored the KO with a jab.

England's Dubois has enjoyed an impressive run since with three consecutive wins inside the distance (TKO victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic before the upset of Joshua).

Dubois, however, must push past a tough test against former titleholder Joseph Parker on Feb. 22 in Riyadh. With Joshua and Fury out of the way for good, there's no megafight on the horizon for Usyk.

Fury, meanwhile, could face Joshua in the loser's bracket in a fight that will still be highly anticipated for their combined star power, especially in the U.K. And no matter where Fury goes from here, he'll go down as an all-time great.

But he'll always rank behind Usyk.