Tyson Fury takes trip to the tip in first public appearance since Oleksandr Usyk defeat | Boxing | Sport
Tyson Fury has been spotted out and about for the first time since suffering the only defeat of his professional boxing career. The Gypsy King donned sunglasses during a trip to the tip on Monday morning, just two days after his split decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
Fury and Usyk contested a modern classic at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on Saturday night. Each vying for all four belts, the title of undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and the continuation of their unbeaten records, both men put everything on the line.
While Fury was in cruise control by the mid-point of the fight, Usyk rallied in the second half and came away with an historic split decision victory after nearly knocking out his 6ft 9in opponent in the ninth round.
The Gypsy King insisted that he should have won the fight on the judges’ scorecards before returning to the UK, where he was spotted on Monday morning for the first time since his unsuccessful trek to the Middle East.
Sporting a backwards cap, a tracksuit adorned with the Union Jack and the Ukrainian flag on one sleeve, and sunglasses to hide the scars of battle, Fury was snapped carrying a supermarket carrier bag during a trip to the tip.
Fury, who saw his own unbeaten record put in the bin on Saturday night, stressed the importance of both fighters kicking back and spending time with family before returning for the pre-agreed rematch in October.
“I believe I won that fight,” the Morecambe-based bruiser told DAZN. “I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majorty. It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I’ll be back. The good little man got the decision.
“We’ll go back to our families and I’ll see him again in October. We’ll go back, rest up. I believe I won the fight but I’m not going to sit and cry and make excuses. We’ll run it again in October.”
Usyk, 37, now holds the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts while Fury has been left empty-handed. And the Gypsy King may never get the chance to become the undisputed top dog of boxing’s glamour division as the IBF are reportedly set to strip Usyk of his title for not facing his mandatory opponent.
One judge scored Saturday’s thrilling contest in Saudi Arabia 114-113 in favour of Fury, but the other two gave it to Usyk, who has beaten the likes of Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois since stepping up from cruiserweight – a division in which he was also the undisputed champion.