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A16 sports
Monday 22 august 2022

Pride of Ukraine: Usyk beats Joshua, keeps heavyweight belts

KING ABDULLAH SPORTS "I was studying Ukraine and
CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) all the champions from
— Oleksandr Usyk kissed your amazing country,"
the blue-and-yellow flag Joshua said. "I've never
of Ukraine and looked to been there. What's hap-
the Saudi Arabian sky as pening there, I don't know
he waited to discover if he but it's not nice. For Usyk to
had honored his war-torn be champion, under those
country by retaining his circumstances, please raise
world heavyweight titles. your hands."
When he heard the win- Usyk was complimentary
ning words "and still," an about Joshua, too.
emotional Usyk raised his "This is already history," he
left arm and pulled the flag said. "Many generations
over his face. are going to watch this
Six months ago, he was pa- fight, especially the round
trolling the streets of Kyiv when someone tried to
with an automatic rifle and beat me hard. But I stood
defending Ukraine from the up to it and turned it in a
invading Russians. different way."
Here, inside the ring at King Usyk also claimed the
Abdullah Sport City arena, Ring Magazine belt with
the still-undefeated Usyk the win. There's only one
had lived up to his billing heavyweight title that Usyk
as the sporting pride of doesn't own — the WBC
Ukraine by beating An- one that is about to be va-
thony Joshua in a closely cated by Tyson Fury, who
fought rematch on Satur- says he is retired.
day to keep his WBA, WBO When asked about Fury,
and IBF belts. Usyk said: "I am sure Tyson
"I devote this victory to my Fury is not retired yet. I am
country, to my family, to Britain's Anthony Joshua, right, takes a blow from Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk during their world sure Tyson Fury wants to
heavyweight title fight at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Aug. 21,
my team, to all the military 2022. fight me. If I'm not fighting
defending this country," Associated Press Tyson Fury, I'm not fighting
the 35-year-old Usyk said at all."
through a translator. "Thank each other. We restore rematch with a new game ing Joshua with an early Two judges gave it to Usyk,
you very, very much." what was destroyed. We plan from his new trainer right hook and forcing him one 115-113 and the other
After a grueling five-month fight for all our people. Robert Garcia: Attack onto the ropes for the first 116-112. The other gave the
training camp, Usyk en- And we cheer for those Usyk's body and keep the time in the fight. fight to Joshua, 115-113.
tered the arena in a blue- who represent Ukraine, to- pressure on. The battering of Joshua Joshua, a two-time heavy-
and-yellow top carrying day — definitely for Usyk, And it nearly worked, with was sustained in the 11th weight champion, fell to his
the words "Colors of Free- our guy!" Usyk taken to the limit in while the 12th was evenly third loss in 27 fights and his
dom" and supported by And Usyk started as the the ninth round as he was fought, the fight ending career is at a crossroads.
words of encouragement favorite after outclassing chased around the ring by with both fighters — clearly Where Usyk goes from now
from Ukrainian President Joshua in the first fight in Joshua, who landed com- exhausted — falling to their appears to depend on
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his London in September last binations and targeted knees in front of each other Fury.
nightly video address to the year. Usyk's ribs. on the canvas. Saudi state television pub-
nation. However, the British chal- Usyk took a deep breath They embraced and Josh- lished photographs show-
"We stick together," the lenger, a former two-time at the bell, then came out ua appeared to offer his ing Crown Prince Moham-
president said. "We help champion, came into the hard in the 10th round, hurt- help to the plight of Ukraine. med bin Salman attending
Then, in an expletive-laden the fight. The 36-year-old
LIKE US ON speech inside the ring after son of King Salman, the
grabbing the microphone, crown prince has pushed
Joshua — who moments for sporting events to come
earlier was seen picking to the kingdom even as
up two of Usyk's belts and U.S. intelligence agen-
throwing them to the can- cies believe he ordered
vas — hit back at his crit- the beheading and dis-
ics before praising Usyk for memberment of Washing-
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ fighting so well in the cir- ton Post columnist Jamal
cumstances. Khashoggi.q