Oleksandr Usyk has been handed a temporary suspension following his thrilling victory over Tyson Fury. In their undisputed clash, Usyk nearly sent Fury to the canvas in the ninth round, with only the ropes keeping the Brit on his feet.
The referee stepped in to count, and despite rallying to hear the final bell, Fury experienced his first career defeat by split decision in Saudi Arabia. After the fight, Usyk was taken to the hospital for a check-up and received the all-clear, even though Fury alleged he had broken his opponent’s jaw.
However, industry website BoxRec reveals that the British Boxing Board of Control has put Usyk on hold until June 2, presumably due to his injuries. No such suspension is recorded on Fury’s record. The suspension won’t impact Usyk’s career as the Ukrainian pugilist is ready for a break after a nine-month training camp. His bout with Fury was initially delayed from December to February and then to May, according to the Mirror. “I don’t want to think about boxing now,” stated Usyk, who attended the post-fight press conference with his daughter Yelizaveta’s Eeyore toy. “My camp started in September 2023 and I worked for nine months.”
Usyk defeated Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion
Usyk defeated Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion
© Getty
“I missed New Year’s, I missed my son’s birthday, I missed my other son’s birthday, I missed my daughter’s birthday, and then the birth of my daughter. I also missed family holidays. I was only focused on this fight. Now I’m happy and I want to go back home.”
Usyk’s reign as the undisputed champion is set to be short-lived, with the IBF preparing to strip him of their title due to his contractual obligations for a rematch with Fury in October, which prevents him from facing mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic.
Despite the looming second bout, Fury was non-committal immediately after his loss. “I’ve just had a fight. As you can see from my face, I’m pretty busted up and Usyk’s gone to hospital with a broken jaw. He’s busted up too,” Fury remarked, showing the toll of the intense fight.
“We punched —- out of each other for 12 rounds, so I’ll go home, eat some food, drink a few beers, have some family time, walk the dog, go to the tip. I will regroup and then me and (promoter) Frank Warren will talk about what’s going to happen in the future. I’ll speak to the wife and kids and see what I want to do. If there’s going to be another fight in October, well then rock and roll.”
