Tyson Fury’s behind-the-scenes reaction to Usyk loss speaks volumes | Boxing | Sport
A baffled Tyson Fury thought he had won the fight “by at least three rounds” as he lamented his close points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk backstage.
Having inflicted a first career defeat on the Brit by split decision in May, Usyk prevailed again in Saudi Arabia to retain his three heavyweight titles.
All three judges scored it 116-112 to the Ukrainian, despite some early success by Fury, but Usyk landed more punches to earn victory – though the Brit was visibly perplexed by the result.
Shortly after exiting the canvas, having been handed the second loss of his career, Fury was seen asking those behind the scenes for their “truthful” verdict of the fight.
When one person working at the bout explained that they thought it was “tight”, the Gypsy King replied: “I swear to god I thought I had won it by at least three rounds.”
He later described the scorecards as a “Christmas gift” to Usyk, despite the champion winning by a clearer margin than in their first contest.
“I thought I won that fight,” Fury said in his press conference. “I thought I won both fights but I’m going home with two losses on my record. There’s not much I can do about it. I can just fight my heart out.
“I will believe til the day I die that I won that fight. I was aggressive, on the front foot all night, landing to the body and head. Frank Warren [his promoter] had me three or four rounds up. A lot of people had me at least two rounds up.
“But I’m not going to cry over spilled milk. I can’t change the decision. When you don’t get the KO this is what happens: you can’t guarantee a win.”
He then added: “I didn’t feel no spirit. I felt a bit of Christmas spirit in there and think he got a Christmas gift from those judges.”
Fury, who has suffered the only two blemishes of his career against Usyk, was then informed that an experimental AI judge scored 118-112 in favour of Usyk.
“By the review of that, absolutely s***,” he concluded. “F*** all the computers, keep the humans going. More jobs for humans, less jobs for computers. F*** electric cars too, while we’re at it.”
