The 25 year wait was worth it. Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury put on a fight that was more than worthy of the Undisputed title that was at stake.

Someone’s undefeated record was going to be blemished, and it was Fury’s zero that turned to 1 overnight.

Usyk pressed the action from the opening bell. On his front foot with constant head movement, Usyk’s pressure and skill put Fury into backward motion, which is opposite to the aggressive Kronk style that Fury has adopted over the last few years.

Fury on his back foot, used his jab well, trying to keep Usyk at range, but Usyk wouldn’t be denied.

Rounds 4-6 saw Fury take control of the fight. Fury’s crisp jab landing more often, plus well placed body shots.

Usyk took a strong uppercut from Fury in round 6, which put him in the most trouble that he’d been in all night. The times Fury came forward brought him the most success.

Despite this, Usyk came out on the front foot, as he had done all night, in round 7, getting caught with an uppercut mid-way through the round. Usyk took it well, and finished the round with an overhand left that caught Fury flush.

Usyk started to dominate in round 8, slipping to his right and throwing an over hand left, that became the order of the day, causing damage to Fury’s nose. The non-stop work and pressure from Usyk was beginning to take its toll on Fury.

Round 9 was drama at its highest. In the middle of Fury throwing a short range three punch combination, Usyk unleashed a hellacious 1-2 combination that had Fury in a world of trouble.

With Fury staggering all around the ring, Usyk threw a controlled onslaught of punches, doing his very best to get Fury out of there.

Fury fell back into the ropes under the barrage, prompting the referee to give Fury an 8 count as he felt that the ropes had stopped Fury from falling to the canvas.

Luckily for Fury, the action happened near the end of the round, so the bell sounded right after the referee summoned the boxers to resume action.

As has come to be the norm with Fury, his recuperative powers saw him regain his composure in round 10, but he was still being pushed back by Usyk’s front foot pressure and high work rate.

Usyk continued the pressure in round 11, landing the more eye catching shots, and round 12 could have gone either way.

Both boxers had dominant periods during the fight. Noticeably rounds 3 to 6 for Fury and rounds 8 to 11 for Usyk, including the knockdown in round 9.

The other rounds were close, but Usyk was the deserved winner with scores of 114-113 Fury, 114-113 Usyk and 115-112 Usyk.

At the post-fight press conference, Fury said he thought he was ahead on the cards going into the championship rounds.

‘It was a close fight you know, but I believe I did enough to win.’ Fury told the gathered media.

‘If they (his corner) had said to me, go out and finish him because you’re down on the cards, I would’ve done.  But everyone in the corner believed we were up.’

Usyk was quick to thank his team for the victory.  He also revealed that the note he was writing at the final press conference was a letter of gratitude to the Lord.

‘I’m thankful that you’re here and I’m thankful for the opportunity. I know that you are leading me the way that you consider is better for me and if I really deserve this, please grant me this victory.

‘I am not the principal, you are the principal and this is all for you in your glory’