Oleksandr Usyk stunned Anthony Joshua and the heavyweight world with a superb performance to dethrone the Briton and become the new IBF, WBA, and WBO champion.
The Ukrainian former undisputed Cruiserweight champion, who had only two heavyweight fights under his belt before tonight, won a unanimous decision, the three judges scoring it 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 respectively.
Usyk started the better of the two, announcing his intentions from the off by landing a straight left hand within 10 seconds of the first bell.
He dominated the opening four rounds, being much lighter on his feet and throwing more scoring punches as Joshua looked confused as to how to deal with his opponent.
The 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist came back into it in Rounds 5 and 6, bruising Usyk under his right eye and making the Ukrainian aware of his power.
However, Usyk, himself an Olympic gold medallist in 2012 in the heavyweight class, responded in Round 7, forcing Joshua to stumble backwards after a straight left before also catching him with a big left hook.
That set the tone for the closing rounds, Joshua suffering swelling on his right eye after again being caught by Usyk’s southpaw backhand.
Such was his dominance, the 34-year-old almost knocked Joshua out in the final seconds of the final round, forcing the Briton back onto the ropes before the bell rang.
It was a magnificent performance from the underdog, Usyk showing his masterful technical skills – honed through 335 fights as an amateur – to maintain his perfect professional record and move to 19-0. Only the third Cruiserweight champion to become heavyweight king, the Ukrainian showed he belongs in the top division after some had questioned his size and power.
Joshua, meanwhile, will already have eyes on winning back his belts as he did after losing to Andy Ruiz, promoter Eddie Hearn making it clear that there was a rematch clause in the contract before the fight.
However, the 31-year-old will have to drastically improve if he hopes to do so, failing to impose himself on his opponent for much of the fight.
Suffering the second loss of his professional career – and his second in four fights – Joshua also looked exhausted by the end, collapsing over the ropes in his corner after the final bell before quickly returning to his dressing room after the unanimous decision was announced.
Usyk’s win has also scuppered plans for a potential superfight between Joshua and WBC champion Tyson Fury. On this evidence, however, a Fury-Usyk clash would be an equally tantalising prospect, providing the Briton comes through his third fight with American Deontay Wilder on 9 October.
Any talk about that is in the future, though. Tonight belongs to Usyk, the new heavyweight king.
Featured image by Andriy Makukha (Amakuha) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0; no changes made.
