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Tyson Fury’s time at the top of the boxing world has concluded, signaling the end of a remarkable period for British heavyweights and extravagant matchups in Saudi Arabia.
Fury will now need to pursue one last financially lucrative endeavor in the sport’s lower divisions.
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The much-anticipated match that could have marked a significant milestone in British boxing history, featuring Fury and Anthony Joshua, has now been reduced to a mere financially driven engagement between two fighters who were bested by Oleksander Usyk, lacking prestige, significance, or championship implications.
Despite the grievances expressed by the Gypsy King and his promoter Frank Warren following his second consecutive defeat to Usyk, the results were clear.
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READ MORE about an unforgettable night in Riyadh…
Usyk is simply exceptional — despite lacking the flamboyant persona often associated with blockbuster boxing stars. The match, highlighting the leading heavyweight fighters of our generation, took place in an almost empty 26,000-seat arena.
Daniel Dubois, the IBF champion from Britain, stepped into the ring to face Usyk, but the Ukrainian defeated him last year — though it was marred by controversy over a borderline low blow from the Brit in the fifth round.
This marks the conclusion of an era filled with significant bouts featuring Fury and Joshua.
Usyk has managed to outpoint both of them twice over the span of just three years, solidifying his status as a deserving champion. He is truly an all-time great fighter, coming from a war-torn nation that is courageously battling against Russian aggression.
At 37 years old, Usyk faces the challenge of having no credible opponents left. His lack of knockout power — particularly given his four-stone disadvantage against Fury — and the charisma needed to promote more profitable fights leaves his future in doubt.
For all his shortcomings, the heavyweight division will feel the absence of Fury at the top level.
His career has been a bizarre spectacle; often crude, yet somehow captivating. The Morecambe native has achieved a great deal, including dethroning Wladimir Klitschko and engaging in an epic trilogy with Deontay Wilder.
Tyson Fury provides a cryptic update on his future after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk amid retirement speculation
His entrance to the ring in the early hours of a Saudi Sunday, dressed as Santa while the Christmas tune ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ played, perfectly encapsulated the essence of Fury.
However, his performance inside the ring was far from impressive.
He refrained from the showboating that might have caused issues during his first fight against Usyk for the undisputed title in May.
Yet, Fury’s sharpness and ability to outwit a challenging opponent were noticeably absent, along with the optimal fitness needed to perform in the later rounds.
It appears the fire within him has faded.
In both bouts against Usyk, Fury alarmingly diminished in performance during the later rounds.
This time, he didn’t even manage to establish a lead during the initial six rounds.
Disregard Fury and Warren’s objections; the three judges appropriately scored the match unanimously at 116-112 in favor of Usyk. Concerns had been raised that Fury might secure an unfair decision if it went the distance, following Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh’s visible support for the Gypsy King, but their integrity should not have been doubted.
An AI judge’s experiment — which did not affect the outcome — also awarded Usyk an even greater margin of victory.
“F*** robots,” Fury remarked. “Let’s give more jobs to humans. And f*** electric cars too.”
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That may have been the first coherent statement he made all week.
This was not the outcome that Alalshikh and his team envisioned — nor the spectacle they anticipated.
A trilogy was expected for the next year, contingent upon Fury’s victory, but that never seemed genuinely plausible. The ambiance in the quiet Arabian night felt overwhelmingly muted.
The loudest uproar of the night was when a sizeable individual in the crowd won a Mercedes in a digital raffle.
Alalshikh is a genuine boxing fan, having even reinstated the print edition of Ring magazine, which deserves recognition.
Nevertheless, enthusiasm for boxing is not shared by the Saudi regime or their populace, and cultivating a sports culture takes time.
Concerns about the human rights record of the Saudi regime are valid.
Still, when looking at it honestly, such issues can sometimes be set aside.
The legendary Rumble in the Jungle featuring Muhammad Ali and George Foreman unfolded under the oppressive dictatorship of Zaire’s Mobutu.
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The grip of Saudi Arabia on elite sports continues to tighten, with the 2034 World Cup already confirmed and likely followed by the Olympics two years later, in addition to the lavish expenditures on football’s Saudi Pro League, LIV golf, and other sporting pursuits.
However, heavyweight boxing may be losing its appeal. The biggest purses in the near future are likely to involve YouTubers, aging athletes, and wrestlers.
What does the future hold for Fury? Lennox Lewis has suggested he should face Joshua at Wembley.
Yet, Usyk has turned that possibility into a secondary attraction.
As the festivities approach, let’s all head home for a cozy Christmas drink.
