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Oleksandr Usyk handed Tyson Fury a second consecutive defeat when the pair clashed on Dec. 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in a highly anticipated rematch. Their first fight on May 18, saw a back-and-forth affair with both fighters landing powerful blows throughout. 'The Cat' secured a split-decision win to remain undefeated and become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.
The rematch was a less competitive affair, with Usyk securing a unanimous decision win to extend his perfect record to 23-0. The Ukrainian also looked noticeably less fatigued following his second bout with 'The Gypsy King'.
Usyk was quoted during the post-fight press conference stating that the second fight was "easier" than the first clash. Those words have now been backed up by former WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev.
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Kovalev and Usyk share the same manager, Egis Klimas, who according to the former champion, was told the following by 'The Cat' after his rematch with Fury:
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"[Usyk and I] have the same manager, Egis Klimas, and he said that Oleksandr said to him, 'Listen, I can fight one more time tonight, easily.' The first fight [with Fury], yes, he was tired. But the second fight, much, much easier."
Check out Sergey Kovalev discuss Oleksandr Usyk's comments below (1:10):
Oleksandr Usyk drenched in praise from Tyson Fury's former opponent Wladimir Klitschko
Tyson Fury was hoping to give Oleksandr Usyk a taste of his own by handing him his first-ever loss when they met on Dec. 21 in Saudi Arabia. 'The Gypsy King' came in at his heaviest ever weight, 281 pounds, but his increased size did not pay off the way he had hoped.
Usyk was able to secure a unanimous decision win, albeit with some controversy. The Ukrainian's win was heavily praised by his fellow countryman and former world champion, Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitschko famously faced and lost to Fury in 2015, what is often viewed as a pivotal moment in the career of the British boxer. Following Usyk's win, the 48-year-old took to Instagram and wrote:
"Congratulations champion! Ukraine is fortunate to have you. You’re a true standard-bearer of our resilience. Slava Ukraini."
Catch Wladimir Klitschko's post about Oleksandr Usyk below:
