Anthony Joshua has given his verdict on Oleksandr Usyk's second victory over Tyson Fury(Image: Getty Images)

How Anthony Joshua's scores compared to Fury vs Usyk judges as he shares one-word reaction

22 Dec 2024, 10:14 by Mark Whiley, Martin Domin · Wales Online

Anthony Joshua awarded Oleksandr Usyk a narrow victory over Tyson Fury on his unofficial scorecard, with just one point separating the two.

Joshua, who was not present at the ringside in Saudi Arabia as he had been for the pair's initial bout seven months prior, watched the bout from home. He scored the final round as a draw, resulting in a tally of 115-114 in favour of Usyk.

While Joshua, who himself lost twice to Usyk, didn't agree with the margin of victory – by four rounds on all judges' scorecards as all three scored it 116-112 – he had the Ukrainian down as the winner. Posting on Instagram after the fight, Joshua shared a Ukrainian flag emoji with the word "respect" underneath.

Fury's team didn't agreed with either the judges or Joshua, with the Morecambe fighter branding it a "Christmas present" for Usyk and his promoter Frank Warren being left "dumfounded". Fury, 36, said: "I was confident I had won that fight again.

"I thought I’d won both fights, but then again I’ve gone home with two losses on my record. I will always believe until the day I die that I won that fight."

Fury entered the ring weighing in at a fully-clothed 20st 1lb – nearly four stone heavier than Usyk. From the outset, he dominated the centre of the ring, demonstrating a clear intent to take the fight to his opponent.

Most observers had Oleksandr Usyk down as the winner(Image: Getty Images)

Despite being significantly taller than the champion, the British fighter was also on the receiving end of body shots. By the second round, he found himself being pursued around the ring by Usyk. While Usyk set the pace, both fighters landed blows in an energetic start to the match, with Fury's jab proving troublesome.

Usyk landed two powerful left punches in a fourth round that saw fortunes fluctuating and, as the bout neared its midpoint, it was tantalisingly close. The fifth round saw the Gypsy King at his best, leveraging his size and strength while maintaining precision with his jab, but he took several hits in the sixth.

Fury's output started to wane and he found himself retreating under the pressure of Usyk's troublesome left hand. Usyk kept up relentless pressure, stringing together an impressive series of punches in the eighth round and concluding the session by cornering Fury against the ropes.

Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after retaining his titles(Image: PA)

The ninth round had been a game-changer in May when Fury was saved by the bell. While such drama was absent this time, Usyk displayed similar determination, steadily gaining momentum. In the 10th round, he swarmed over the larger opponent but also received blows himself. As the final two rounds commenced, it was Fury who needed to pull off something extraordinary to impress the judges.

A thrilling final round saw the men trading punches, each having their moments in a high-quality conclusion. Once more, the judges were tasked with determining the victor and there could be few objections as Usyk was declared the clear winner on all cards, maintaining his position as the division's leading figure.

The performance solidified his standing as an all-time great. The 37-year-old could now aim to secure the undisputed champion title for the second time by defeating IBF champion Daniel Dubois.