Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury II was close, uncontroversial and freighted with meaning

12/23/2024 04:00 AM

Oleksandr Usyk's triumph over Tyson Fury in Riyadh was barely noticed beyond Ukraine and Britain. That's a shame because it was an important fight and a good one

Once upon a time, the world stopped to watch when the heavyweight championship was at stake. Oleksandr Usyk's unanimous-decision triumph over Tyson Fury in Riyadh on Saturday was barely noticed. There were pockets of interest in the fighters' Ukrainian and English homelands. But beyond that, the response was muted. Indeed, the promotion all but wrote off the United States market by scheduling the fight opposite the first round of the College Football Playoff tournament. That meant there was even less media attention for Usyk-Fury II in America than would otherwise have been the case and fewer fans buying the pay-per-view.

That's a shame because it was an important fight and a good one.