Usyk beats Fury in Riyadh ‘Ring Of Fire’ showdown to become undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion

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With his victory over Britain's Tyson_Fury in their Riyadh "Ring of Fire" match, Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk joined boxing greats Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)
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With his victory over Britain's Tyson_Fury in their Riyadh "Ring of Fire" match, Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk joined boxing greats Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)
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Oleksandr Usyk celebrates with the belts after winning the fight to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Oleksandr Usyk celebrates with the belts after winning the fight to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Oleksandr Usyk in action against Tyson Fury. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Updated 19 May 2024
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Usyk beats Fury in Riyadh ‘Ring Of Fire’ showdown to become undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion

  • Joins the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion
  • Oleksandr Usyk: ‘It is a big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country’

RIYADH: Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk scored a dramatic split decision win against Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in 25 years, an unprecendented feat in boxing’s four-belt era.

In unifying WBA, WBO, WBC and IBF world titles under his belt, joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight champion, the first since boxing recognized four major belts in the 2000s.

Britain’s Lennox Lewis was the last man to unify the heavyweight belts — three at the time — after beating Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Riyadh’s newly built Kingdom Arena played host to the boxing event, dubbed ‘Ring of Fire’, with a sellout crowd including several sports and entertainment figures in attendance at the 22,000-capacity venue. Wladimir Klitschko was among the legends watching along with Saudi-based football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, who like boxing are grateful beneficiaries of Saudi Arabia’s lavish push into sports.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Minister of Sports, and Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, were also in attendance.




Tyson Fury came out aggressively but a fired up Usyk gradually took charge and the “Gypsy King” was saved by the bell in the ninth round before slumping to his first career defeat. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

“It is a big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country,” said Usyk, 37, who briefly served as a soldier after the Russian invasion.
“It’s a great time, a great day,” he said, adding that he was “ready for a rematch.”
Fury called it a “fantastic fight with Oleksandr.”
“I believe I won that fight, I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them,” he said.
“You know his country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war but make no mistake, I won that fight in my opinion and I will be back.”




Tyson Fury, left, believes he won most of the rounds against his Ukrainian opponent. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

Caution was evident from the boxers as they exchanged punches in the earlier rounds. As they entered the third round, Tyson Fury attempted to land more hits, countered by Oleksandr Usyk’s clear dodging and significant intervention by the referee to break up an illegal clinch.

Usyk got inside with some quick combinations while Fury landed some heavy body shots. By round four, the Mancunian was taunting his ever-advancing opponent and showboating, guard down.
Usyk called two low shots in round five and got caught with a left hook as Fury continued to look comfortable, landing a telling uppercut in the following round and bobbing and weaving to stay out of range.

The cautious rhythm continued, with Fury having a clear advantage until the eighth round, when Usyk launched a strong attack from the start, buoyed by the supportive cheers from the crowd.

A Usyk barrage had Fury in serious trouble and the wobbling, bleeding Mancunian took a standing count before being saved by the bell.




A fired-up Fury came running out of his corner to start the fight, keeping the shorter Usyk back with his jab. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

Usyk maintained this strength until the 11th round, nearly securing the win in the 10th round when Fury fell, prompting the referee to count before Fury got back up to continue the fight. The final round saw early attempts to secure a win, but the decision of the three judges favored Oleksandr Usyk, with split decision.

Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk believed that the Ukrainian was denied a knock-out victory when the referee stepped in as Fury looked about to hit the deck in round nine.
“I believe the referee saved Tyson from a knock-out and stole the ninth-round knock-out, which should have happened,” Krassyuk said.




Tyson Fury receives medical attention during his fight against Oleksandr Usyk Action. (Action Images via Reuters)

Two judges scored it for Usyk by scores of 115-112 and 114-113 while the third gave it to Fury 114-113. The victory extended Usyk’s professional record to 22-0. After his first loss, Fury stands at 34-1-1.

In the undercard fights, Swedish cruiserweight boxer Robin Siroan Safar kept his unbeaten record by beating former world light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev from Russia

Meanwhile, Ukrainian champion Daniel Lapin secured a victory over boxer Octavio Bodeter, and New Zealand boxer David Nyika convincingly defeated German Michael Seitz to keep his record unblemished as well.

British boxer Isaac Low won the international featherweight belt by defeating Afghan boxer Haseebullah Ahmadi, while British heavyweight Musa Aitoma triumphed over German Anna Amiezensev. German boxer Agit Kabayel also managed to break the winning streak of Cuban Frank Sanchez.




Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk entered the packed Kingdom Arena wearing a green cossack coat and fur hat. (Reuters)

In the lightweight division, British boxer Mark Chamberlain won the World Boxing Council title by defeating Nigerian Joshua wahab.

In the IBF and IBO featherweight championship, British boxer Joe Cordina triumphed over his compatriot Anthony Cacace.




Tyson Fury entered the packed Kingdom Arena full of confidence, not knowing what was in store for him. (Reuters)

Australian boxer Jay Opetaia reclaimed his IBF cruiserweight world title after defeating Latvian Mairis Briedis in a 12-round match, with the decision going in his favor by the judges.

with AFP


Disappointing year ends with dismal defeat for Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Kanno scored a goal back in the 87th minute. (@SaudiNT_EN)
Updated 31 December 2024
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Disappointing year ends with dismal defeat for Saudi Arabia

  • Oman go on to face either Bahrain or Kuwait in the final

RIYADH: New Year’s Eve 2024 saw Saudi Arabia lose 2-1 to Oman to crash out of the Arabian Gulf Cup at the semifinal stage and end a below-par 2024 on a low note.

With just one win in six 2026 World Cup qualifiers that resume in March, coach Herve Renard hoped to kick-start the national team’s fortunes with success in the Gulf Cup, currently being held in Kuwait.

The Frenchman’s desire was dashed despite Oman playing the majority of the game with ten men as Rabia Al-Alawi was shown a straight red in the 34th minute for a wild lunge on Salem Al-Dawsari. As the Al-Nahda star left the pitch in the Kuwait City stadium, Saudi Arabian fans were expecting a comfortable win but despite the possession and chances, the Green Falcons were unable to take advantage of their one-man advantage.

Oman redoubled their efforts to deny their opponents time and space but Saudi Arabia, seeking a first Gulf Cup win since 2004, had the ball in the net midway through the second half. Abdullah Al-Hamdan had scored twice against Iraq three days earlier, but his close-range effort was ruled out for offside.  

It was Oman who took the lead in the 74th minute as Arshad Al-Alawi fired home a free-kick from outside the area, squeezing his shot under the Saudi wall.

Herve Renard’s men pushed forward in search of an equalizer but found themselves two goals down with five minutes remaining after Ali Al-Busaidi scored again for Oman.

It looked to be game over but Mohamed Kanno pulled a goal back in the 87th minute to cut short the Omani celebrations and give Saudi Arabian fans hope. The Al-Hilal midfielder curled home a beauty from outside the area.

It was too little too late, however. In the 10th minute of added time, Abdulelah Hawsawi was sent off to level the number of players on both sides but despite the pressure, the men from Riyadh were unable to level the scores and now have to return home with much to ponder.

Oman, meanwhile, go on to face either Bahrain or Kuwait in the final.


Djokovic, Sabalenka win season-openers but Kyrgios loses on return

Updated 31 December 2024
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Djokovic, Sabalenka win season-openers but Kyrgios loses on return

  • Former world number one Novak Djokovic is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam crown in January in Melbourne
  • Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios loses in three tight sets in his first singles match since June 2023

BRISBANE, Australia: Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open preparations with straight-sets wins on Tuesday at the Brisbane International but Nick Kyrgios lost on his return from injury.
Former world number one Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam crown in January in Melbourne, eased to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over wildcard Rinky Hijikata.
The 37-year-old Serb broke Hijikata once in the first set and twice in the second for a comfortable 74-minute win.
Djokovic, now ranked seven in the world, was all business against the young Australian and always looked in control as he set up a second-round clash against fellow veteran Gael Monfils.
“To start the new season with a win is obviously very important,” said Djokovic, who is pursuing an unprecedented 11th Australian Open title.
“But Hijikata was really good tonight and he made me work for it.”
Australian firebrand Kyrgios lost in three tight sets in his first singles match since June 2023.
Kyrgios went down 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3) to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in almost two and a half hours as serve dominated.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios, 29, is making his comeback following wrist reconstruction and other injuries over the past couple of years.
Ahead of the Australian Open starting on January 12, big-serving Mpetshi Perricard said Kyrgios had shown enough to suggest that his comeback would be a success.
Kyrgios played and won in the doubles with Djokovic on Monday.
“Playing Nick here wasn’t a good match-up for me,” the 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard said, asked about playing Kyrgios in front of his home crowd.
“He did some good things, he played with confidence.”
The Frenchman, who has risen from 205 in the world at the start of 2024 to his current ranking of 31, fired down 36 aces.
Women’s world number one Sabalenka kickstarted her bid to win the Australian Open for a third consecutive time with a straight-forward win after a sluggish start.
The Belarusian appeared bothered by the high humidity on Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, particularly during an error-strewn first set against Renata Zarazua.
But after breaking Mexico’s Zarazua at 5-4, the 26-year-old surged through the second set to wrap up the match 6-4, 6-0 in 65 minutes.
“The first match is always a tricky one,” Sabalenka said.
“It was a tricky start for me but I’m glad that I closed it out in the first set, and in the second set I felt like whatever I tried to do it would work for me.
“So I’m really happy for the first win of the season.”
Sabalenka is bidding to be the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997-99 to win three Australian Opens in succession.
She will play Yulia Putintseva next after the Kazakh’s 6-2, 7-5 win over American Mccartney Kessler.


Pakistan’s Azan Ali Khan clinches Junior Under-17 Scottish Open squash title

Updated 31 December 2024
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Pakistan’s Azan Ali Khan clinches Junior Under-17 Scottish Open squash title

  • Khan defeats Swiss opponent to win tournament that featured players from 22 nations
  • Khan will now compete in the British Open World Junior Squash Championship next year 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani squash player Azan Ali Khan clinched the Junior Under-17 Scottish Junior Open Championship 2024 in Edinburgh this week, defeating Switzerland’s Landro Wagle in the final while remaining undefeated throughout the tournament, a non-government organization sponsoring him said on Tuesday. 

The Scottish Junior Open 2024 was held from Dec. 28 to 30, featuring players from 22 countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Egypt and the United States. 

“Azlan Ali Khan has emerged as the champion of the 2024 Scottish Junior Open Championship,” Muslim Hands Pakistan, Khan’s sponsor, said in a statement. “Azan Ali Khan defeated Switzerland’s Landro Wagle in the final to win the title.”

Muslim Hands Pakistan, a branch of the UK-based charity, works to alleviate poverty, sickness and lack of education in the country. It operates over 335 schools, serving more than 25,000 students and runs projects in health care, water, sanitation and vocational training.

Khan dedicated his victory to Pakistan’s out-of-school children. The South Asian country has a population 22.8 million out-of-school children aged 5-16 years, making Pakistan the country with the second-highest number of out-of-school children. 

Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Youth Program, congratulated Khan, his coach and team manager on the achievement.

“Azan Ali Khan is now preparing for the next stage and will compete in the British Open World Junior Squash Championship,” Muslim Hands said. “The British Open World Junior Squash Championship will be held from January 2 to January 6 in Birmingham.”
 


Hart triple-double sparks Knicks to eighth straight NBA win

Updated 31 December 2024
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Hart triple-double sparks Knicks to eighth straight NBA win

  • At Salt Lake City the Denver Nuggets got triple-doubles from Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in beating the Utah Jazz 132-121
  • The NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers, led by 25 points from Darius Garland and 23 by Donovan Mitchell, rolled over host Golden State 113-95 to improve their win streak to seven

WASHINGTON: Josh Hart delivered his third triple-double of the season on Monday to spark the New York Knicks to a 126-106 victory at Washington that stretched their win streak to eight games.

Hart had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his ninth triple-double with the Knicks while Karl-Anthony Towns had a game-high 32 points and 13 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby each scored 18 points for New York, which improved to 23-10.

The Knicks led 59-57 at half time over the Eastern Conference doormats and pulled away in the third quarter before dominating the fourth to win.

“We executed, we got stops, we played fast,” Hart said. “We played to our strengths. Sometimes it takes us a little while to wake up. We always do.”

At Salt Lake City the Denver Nuggets got triple-doubles from Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in beating the Utah Jazz 132-121.

Jokic had 36 points, 23 rebounds and 10 assists while Westbrook contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to ignite the Nuggets.

Michael Porter added 21 points for Denver while Jamal Murray and Christian Braun each scored 20 for the Nuggets (18-13).

The NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers, led by 25 points from Darius Garland and 23 by Donovan Mitchell, rolled over host Golden State 113-95 to improve their win streak to seven.

Reserve Moses Moody led the Warriors with 19 points while Stephen Curry managed only 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting, 3-of-11 from three-point range.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 37 points and grabbed nine rebounds to power the 76ers to their fourth victory in a row, a 125-103 triumph at Portland.

Tyrese Maxey added 23 points for the Sixers.

At New Orleans, James Harden sank four free throws in the final 17 seconds to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 116-113 victory over the host Pelicans, the NBA’s worst club dropping a 10th consecutive game to sink to 5-28.

Norman Powell scored a game-high 35 points while Harden added 27 as the Clippers improved to 19-13.

De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 33 points and the Sacramento Kings, who trailed by as many as 18 points, beat visiting Dallas 110-100 to snap a six-game losing streak.

The Kings closed the third quarter with a 17-2 run for an 83-77 lead entering the fourth, which began with an 11-4 Sacramento run for a 94-81 edge as the hosts pulled away to stay.

The Mavericks were without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Elsewhere, Coby White had 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to spark the Chicago Bulls’ 115-108 overtime victory at Charlotte.

Miles Bridges, who had a game-high 31 points for the Hornets, hit a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime at 98-98.


Emma Raducanu pulls out of Australian Open warm-up with back injury

Updated 31 December 2024
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Emma Raducanu pulls out of Australian Open warm-up with back injury

  • Former US Open champion will now fly to Melbourne to begin rehabilitation ahead of the year’s first major
  • The 22-year-old has suffered a series of injuries since bursting onto the scene with her New York triumph in 2021

AUCKLAND: Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu pulled out of the Auckland Classic on Tuesday with a “back niggle” in a blow to her Australian Open preparations.
Britain’s Raducanu will now fly to Melbourne to begin rehabilitation ahead of the year’s first major starting on January 12.
The 22-year-old has suffered a series of injuries since bursting onto the scene with her New York triumph in 2021.
“I’ve tried my best to be ready. I love Auckland and the fans here,” the 56th-ranked Raducanu said.
“But unfortunately I’ve picked up a back niggle and I won’t be ready in time.”
Raducanu is traveling with renowned fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura in an attempt to better withstand the rigors of professional tennis.
Raducanu missed a chunk of 2023 following wrist and ankle surgery, and was recently sidelined for two months by a foot injury.
Former Australian Open semifinalist Elize Mertens also withdrew Tuesday hours before the second seed’s first-round match in Auckland.
Top seed Madison Keys defied blustery conditions to win her first-round match in straight sets over Lucia Bronzetti.
American world number 21 Keys was relieved to start her season with a solid 6-4, 6-4 outing against the Italian.
“I feel like we all come out, we’re a little bit nervous, but it’s obviously so much fun to be back out here,” she said.
“Lucia is one of those players who’s just going to make you keep on having to play shots. So it’s great for the confidence this early in the season.”
The 29-year-old will next play unseeded Romanian Jaqueline Cristian after her Ukrainian opponent Yuliia Starodubtseva retired during their second set.
Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat China’s Wang Xiyu 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, the American setting up a second-round match against fifth-seeded Dane Clara Tauson.