Oleksandr Usyk now formally holds two wins over fellow heavyweight nice Tyson Fury. However Eddie Hearn isn’t so certain that ought to be the case.
The Matchroom Boxing boss gave his tackle the judges’ determination following the extremely anticipated rematch that noticed Usyk earn a unanimous nod over Fury on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All three judges scored the competition 116-112 in Usyk’s favor, a large margin that Hearn doesn’t really feel precisely mirrored the aggressive in-ring motion.
“I used to be simply debating with Sergio [Mora], he scored it 116-112,” Hearn stated on the DAZN broadcast. “I believed the struggle was a draw. I truly had Fury going up into the final, I scored the final spherical Usyk. I believed so many shut rounds and I do need to see it again.
“Frank [Warren] was proper, most individuals in our row did have it for Tyson Fury. However one was Frank Warren, one was Bob Arum, his promoter, and Oscar De La Hoya felt the identical means. I actually struggled to separate them. It was extra of a chess match tonight. Usyk did dominate extra of the second half of the struggle like we stated he would, however I had it very shut.”
Hearn’s fellow boxing promoter Frank Warren truly protested the choice within the ring after the bout’s conclusion, carrying the scorecards with him as he questioned how Fury might solely have 4 rounds scored for him. Regardless, Usyk can now declare two victories over Fury, who had beforehand gone undefeated in 35 professional bouts earlier than Usyk beat him by break up determination this previous Might.
An AI choose—not included as a part of the official scoring—had the struggle even wider for Usyk at 118-112. Hearn agreed with Warren that Fury ought to have been given extra rounds, although general he was nice with how the decision was dealt with.
“I simply didn’t really feel it was an 8-4 struggle, that’s the factor,” Hearn stated. “However one factor I’ll say that was pleasing, all three judges had it the identical means, and all three judges are high-quality judges. Steve Weisfeld and the like as effectively. I imagine the AI choose had it 118-112 for Usyk. … Once more, I had it a draw, one spherical [either way], I believed it was very, very shut. However consistency from the judges, which is nice to see. I assume we’ll watch it again, however I discovered it troublesome to choose a winner. I believed it was very shut.”
Talking on the futures of each fighters, Hearn agreed {that a} rematch between Usyk and Daniel Dubois—promoted to undisputed IBF heavyweight champion when Usyk vacated that title to e book a second struggle with Fury somewhat than face necessary IBF challenger Joseph Parker—is sensible, although he cautioned Dubois about wanting previous Parker.
As for Fury, he believes it’s lastly time for him to face fellow British star Anthony Joshua.
“The truth is there’s just one struggle for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua,” Hearn stated. “It’s the largest struggle most likely within the historical past of British boxing. Everybody will at all times need to see it.
“And by the best way, that wasn’t a Tyson Fury that seemed completed. It wasn’t a flat efficiency, it wasn’t a poor efficiency, he didn’t look gunshy, he didn’t appear like his punch resistance was in query like we talked about earlier. I feel Tyson Fury’s nonetheless doubtlessly on the peak of his powers, simply not ok to beat Oleksandr Usyk tonight. However for me, A.J. in opposition to Fury is the one.”
