Hearn: "Referee Did a Great Job in the Fury vs. Usyk Fight"

Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn commented on the bout for the undisputed heavyweight championship between Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) and Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs). The promoter is convinced that the referee made the right call in the ninth round when, after a prolonged attack by Usyk, he started counting Fury for a knockdown while he was still on his feet but close to falling onto the canvas.

"A lot of people, fighters, don't know the rule about the ropes helping you from falling. I've seen so many fighters say, 'That's ridiculous, he didn't fall, and you're still counting.' When the ropes keep you from falling, the referee can rule it as a knockdown. It's not a standing knockdown. It's an actual knockdown because the ropes prevented him from going down.

In a fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship, I think the referee did a great job. I think the count was a bit slow, but then the bell rang. I thought Fury really recovered well," said Hearn.

The fight between Usyk and Fury went the distance and ended with a split decision victory for the Ukrainian. Oleksandr Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since November 13, 1999, when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in their rematch.