"Glad It Was Usyk": Tyson Fury's Unexpected Statement

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Tyson Fury stated that Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, who became the first boxer to defeat him in the professional ring, is the best candidate for that honor.

"I thought I would win; there was no 'if,' 'but,' or 'maybe.' He got his 10-8 in the ninth round, and that probably changed the outcome of the fight. I think whatever I did after the ninth round wouldn't have mattered. I know they gave him the 11th round and me the 12th. Even if I had won one round, it still wouldn't have ended in a draw. He would still have won by decision because that ninth round was 10-8, and that was kind of the pivotal moment of the fight.

If you look at the highlights, you only see me getting hit against the ropes for about 30 seconds, but the whole fight wasn’t like that, you know what I mean. But they use that moment, so it’s all fair, fair to Usyk, his family, and everyone else. Congratulations to him.

If I had to lose to someone, I'm glad it was Usyk because he’s a God-fearing Christian, and he’s a good family man, so it’s all fair," said Fury.

In their first bout, Usyk won by decision. The second encounter is scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.