Oleksandr Usyk hands Tyson Fury his first defeat en route to historic victory as he drops Gypsy King in split decision victory to become undisputed champion

Oleksandr Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years by split decision on Saturday night.

In a perennial fight, Usyk dropped Tyson Fury in the ninth round and left the Briton staggering around the ring on unsteady legs en route to a historic victory.

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At the end of the fight, the scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 in favor of the Ukrainian while the third judge gave it to Fury at 114-113.

The last time all the belts were up for grabs, Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield for the distinction over the distance in November 1999.

At the time, the WBO was not a recognized major sanctioning body, so there were only three belts up for grabs.

But at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Usyk made history by winning the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO titles to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era in what will remain as an all-time classic.

From the start, a cautious opening ensued as both men probed each other, pushing each other with their jabs and feints.

The best shot of the round came from Usyk who caught Fury with a good backhand that knocked back “The Gypsy King’s” head.

Another perfect looping southpaw landed early in the second round.

Fury taunted and taunted, but there was nothing funny about the punches he ate.

The Brit landed his first significant body shot near the end of the round, a quick bolo punch that was quickly followed by a shoveling uppercut.

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Before fight night, Usyk insisted he “won’t leave Fury alone” and he certainly didn’t.

The Ukrainian, who has been criticized in the past for starting too slowly, started quickly and continually forced Fury on his heels.

Fury responded by holding and leaning on Usyk in hopes of draining his smaller foe.

In the fourth round, Fury began to get into his rhythm and began landing a meaty right hand to the body after hitting Usyk upstairs with his jab.

Taunting and mocking with every step, a confident Fury closed out his best round of the fight in style.

Before the fifth round, there was a small gash above Usyk’s eye, likely caused by a clash of heads in the previous frame.

Fury continued to invest in the body and kept Usyk guessing by whipping a right hand to the body then to the head.

After a good start, Usyk struggled to find the target with his left hand, which brought him such success with the first gates.

In the sixth round, Fury landed a clean right uppercut that sent Usyk reeling. He then followed up with a vicious flurry to the body as a deflated Usyk returned to his stool.

As the second half of the fight approached, Usyk began to find a second wind and began to find a home for his left overhand again.

By the end of the eighth, there was a lot of swelling under Fury’s right eye.

Suddenly, the roles were reversed.

Usyk swarmed Fury in the ninth and seriously injured him with a flurry of shots as the Mancunian staggered all over the ring.

Restrained by the ropes, a count was administered but Fury managed to see out the round.

Usyk continued to pile on the pressure in the 10th as Fury looked to stay out of trouble.

By the championship rounds, the bounce was back in Fury’s step as he seemed to have come to his senses.

Heading into the final round, it was difficult to split the heavyweight titans, even though the knockdown had given Usyk the edge with DAZN broadcasting as they entered the 12th.^th stanza.

Fury landed a good straight midway through the frame that stunned Usyk, but the Brit let him get away with it.

Usyk came back and shot and settled the nip and tuck matter with the judges.

Speaking after the fight, Usyk, who is now an undisputed two-weight champion after reigning supreme at cruiserweight, took the mic.

“Since 2008, I had planned this. It’s not for my victory,” he said.

“This is for my God, my supporters, my country, the Ukrainian soldiers, the Ukrainian mother and father, the children.

“I want to go home, I want to rest, take a break, I want to eat, sleep, kiss my wife.”

Both men are now scheduled to return on October 12-13 as part of the two-way rematch clause in their contracts.

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