KING ABDULLAH SPORTS CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Oleksandr Usyk kissed the blue-and-yellow flag of Ukraine and seemed to the Saudi Arabian sky as he waited to find if he had honored his war-torn nation by retaining his world heavyweight titles.
When he heard the successful phrases “and still,” an emotional Usyk raised his left arm and pulled the flag over his face.
Six months in the past, he was patrolling the streets of Kyiv with an computerized rifle and defending Ukraine from the invading Russians.
Here, contained in the ring at King Abdullah Sport City enviornment, the still-undefeated Usyk had lived as much as his billing because the sporting pleasure of Ukraine by beating Anthony Joshua in a intently fought rematch on Saturday to maintain his WBA, WBO and IBF belts.
“I devote this victory to my country, to my family, to my team, to all the military defending this country,” the 35-year-old Usyk stated via a translator. “Thank you very, very much.”
After a grueling five-month coaching camp, Usyk entered the sector in a blue-and-yellow high carrying the phrases “Colors of Freedom” and supported by phrases of encouragement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly video handle to the nation.
“We stick together,” the president stated. “We help each other. We restore what was destroyed. We fight for all our people. And we cheer for those who represent Ukraine, today — definitely for Usyk, our guy!”
And Usyk began as the favourite after outclassing Joshua within the first combat in London in September final yr.
However, the British challenger, a former two-time champion, got here into the rematch with a brand new recreation plan from his new coach Robert Garcia: Attack Usyk’s physique and hold the strain on.
And it practically labored, with Usyk taken to the restrict within the ninth spherical as he was chased across the ring by Joshua, who landed mixtures and focused Usyk’s ribs.
Usyk took a deep breath on the bell, then got here out exhausting within the tenth spherical, hurting Joshua with an early proper hook and forcing him onto the ropes for the primary time within the combat.
The battering of Joshua was sustained within the eleventh whereas the twelfth was evenly fought, the combat ending with each fighters — clearly exhausted — falling to their knees in entrance of one another on the canvas.
They embraced and Joshua appeared to supply his assist to the plight of Ukraine.
Then, in an expletive-laden speech contained in the ring after grabbing the microphone, Joshua — who moments earlier was seen choosing up two of Usyk’s belts and throwing them to the canvas — hit again at his critics earlier than praising Usyk for combating so properly within the circumstances.
“I was studying Ukraine and all the champions from your amazing country,” Joshua stated. “I’ve never been there. What’s happening there, I don’t know but it’s not nice. For Usyk to be champion, under those circumstances, please raise your hands.”
Usyk was complimentary about Joshua, too.
“This is already history,” he stated. “Many generations are going to watch this fight, especially the round when someone tried to beat me hard. But I stood up to it and turned it in a different way.”
Usyk additionally claimed the Ring Magazine belt with the win. There’s just one heavyweight title that Usyk doesn’t personal — the WBC one that’s about to be vacated by Tyson Fury, who says he’s retired.
When requested about Fury, Usyk stated: “I am sure Tyson Fury is not retired yet. I am sure Tyson Fury wants to fight me. If I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
Two judges gave it to Usyk, one 115-113 and the opposite 116-112. The different gave the combat to Joshua, 115-113.
Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, fell to his third loss in 27 fights and his profession is at a crossroads.
Where Usyk goes from now seems to depend upon Fury.
Saudi state tv printed images displaying Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attending the combat. The 36-year-old son of King Salman, the crown prince has pushed for sporting occasions to return to the dominion whilst U.S. intelligence companies consider he ordered the beheading and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”