Usyk Reflects on Round Six Against Fury
Oleksandr Usyk revisited the sixth round of his May 2024 heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury, when Fury’s uppercuts appeared to put the Ukrainian under pressure. Usyk said the moment he stayed upright strengthened his belief that he could win. He later rallied to take a split decision and become undisputed heavyweight champion.
Fury’s strongest spell
Fury controlled stretches of the middle rounds with his size, movement and uppercuts. In the sixth, one uppercut visibly hurt Usyk, who backed away under pressure. Usyk later described feeling spiritual support when he avoided being dropped by the punch. That was his personal account of the moment, not a claim that the round itself decided the result.
Usyk changed the fight late
Usyk stayed composed as the fight continued. In the ninth round, he landed a sustained series of clean punches that forced the referee to give Fury a standing count. Fury recovered and finished the contest, but Usyk’s late rally shifted the momentum and helped him secure the judges’ split decision on May 18 in Riyadh.
A revealing detail, not the whole story
Usyk’s reflection adds context to a close, high-level fight: he saw surviving Fury’s best punch as a source of confidence, while the decisive change came through his later work. The rematch was subsequently held in December 2024, with Usyk winning again by unanimous decision. The first bout remains a landmark for boxing, as it crowned the division’s first undisputed champion in the four-belt era.
Sources: talkSPORT on Usyk’s reflection about the sixth round; BBC Sport on the first fight and its ninth-round turning point; BBC Sport on the December rematch result.
Sources
Tags: Boxing
