Oleksandr Usyk put on an outstanding effort to win by split decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, putting a stop to Anthony Joshua’s attempt to reclaim the unified heavyweight belts. A determined Joshua, 32, demonstrated some aggression and intent in the bout, which was dubbed “The Rage on the Red Sea,” but he was unable to match the Ukrainian’s brilliance and ring knowledge. Three judges gave the contest to Usyk with scores of 115–113 for Joshua and 116–112 for the challenger. Even though there were a few close matches, Usyk was the deserving champion.
In an odd move, after the fight, a furious Joshua picked up two of Usyk’s belts, dropped them to the ground, and strode towards the locker room. He then turned around and returned to the ring to deliver an eloquent speech. Joshua has now lost to Usyk twice, but the champion still holds the WBA (Super), WBO, and IBF crowns that he earned in London in September.
