In a rematch billed as Usyk v Fury ‘reignited’, the sport’s two most technically gifted heavyweights served up another classic and showcased elite level boxing.
The Gypsy King was in playful mood with an unorthodox ring entrance to Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You.
Dressed as Father Christmas, he was still sporting the bushy beard which was cleared at a rules meeting amid protests from Usyk’s team.
A stern-faced Usyk marched to the ring in super-quick time. Wearing a warrior-like robe, he crouched in the corner to recite a prayer.
After an 11-minute face-off on Thursday, Fury and Usyk picked up where they left off, their eyes fixated on each other as met in the centre of the ring.
Neither man over-committed in a cagey opening round. Fury showboated his way through the first fight but there was more seriousness to his work here. He wobbled Usyk in the closing seconds of the second.
With an advantage of six inches in height, eight inches in reach and four stone in weight, Fury used his physicality to keep Usyk at range.
But just as he did in the first fight, Usyk found success targeting Fury’s body.
Two bruising left hooks landed flush on Fury in the fourth. “Keep it basic – he’s running around. Slow it down,” trainer SugarHill Steward told Fury after the fifth.
An overhand left connected cleanly with Fury’s forehead in the sixth. Fury was slowing down and Usyk was heading into his groove.
Fury found a second wind, however, and edged the ninth. It felt as if it was still all to play for in the championship rounds.
Model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and actor husband Jason Statham watched from plush ringside seats, alongside a stellar list of boxing royalty including Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis and Prince Naseem Hamed.
Usyk unleashed a sublime combination in the 11th. With Fury momentarily hurt, the champion applied the pressure.
Fury looked the more desperate of the pair as Usyk finished the fight on top.
But although Fury cut a frustrated figure, there were no cries of robbery from ringside observers.
