Oleksandr Usyk endured serious damage when becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world against Tyson Fury. A selfie posted days after the bout shows the magnitude of the punishment.
Oleksandr Usyk’s damaged visage highlighted the stark contrast between his Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fights.
On Saturday, Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. The Ukrainian and Gypsy King’s methodical chess match erupted in the ninth round, when a devastating Usyk flurry sent Fury to the ropes, resulting in a decisive knockdown.
Oleksandr Usyk sustained heavy damage during his win over Tyson Fury.
He went on to win the bout by split decision, handing Fury his first career defeat while he moved to a 22-0 record. Victory did not come without taking a toll on the new heavyweight king, with Fury claiming his opponent had gone to hospital with a broken jaw.
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk has since confirmed that was not true and that ‘The Cat’ felt some discomfort in his upper jaw, merely going to hospital for a post-fight check-up. Yet the damage sustained by Usyk was far more evident in the aftermath of the Fury clash than after his second victory over another British heavyweight juggernaut in Joshua.
A selfie posted on social media by the Kiev-born boxer post-Fury showed heavy bruising on his cheekbones, under his eyes and a cut above his right eye. His knuckles were also sporting nasty gashes, despite the picture being posted two days after the fight.
Usyk noticeably suffered less trauma to his face against AJ back in August 2022 – which also took place in Saudi Arabia. He was seen immediately after the fight in their press conference with less facial bruising, aside from under one of his eyes.
The bruising on Oleksandr Usyk’s face after beating Anthony Joshua for the second time was less noticeable.
It was the second time Usyk had sealed a win over Joshua. Their first clash in September 2021 saw Usyk strip AJ of his titles with a dominant unanimous decision win, though he sustained heavy damage to the face.
Their second came down to a split decision, being judged 115-113 116-112 and 113-115 in the Ukrainian’s favour. Yet Joshua’s less aggressive approach meant Usyk came away less bloodied, while the dejected Brit shed tears at their press conference, having lost his third fight.
Fury and Usyk are set for another Saudi Arabian showdown in October where the former will look to avenge his only loss. The winner is expected to face Joshua in the first quarter of 2025, though a decision by Usyk to hang up his gloves could result in a long-awaited clash between the two British former champions.
