Brilliant Usyk holds off resurgent Joshua to defend heavyweight titles

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), August 21: Oleksandr Usyk successfully defended his world heavyweight champion status with a split-decision victory over Anthony Joshua in Jeddah.

Just under a year on from ripping the Briton's WBA, IBF and WBO belts from him in a unanimous triumph at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Ukrainian retained those titles in hard-fought fashion in Saudi Arabia.

Usyk's second win against his rival reaffirms his place atop the pecking order in the heavyweight division, with Tyson Fury – an obvious contender – again retired for now.

But Joshua did himself no disgrace in defeat, producing a resurgent display to go toe-to-toe throughout in a fight that may quiet questions around his future despite the loss.

The pair warmly embraced after the final bell and together held aloft the Ukrainian flag in a show of solidarity before the scores were read out to confirm Usyk's defence.

While one judge scored the fight 115-113 in Joshua's favour, another had the same result for Usyk, with the third decisively awarding the champion a 116-112 success.

A low-wattage opening showed little between the pair, with Joshua attempting to exert early control through a steadier command of the middle of the ring than he had shown in London last year.

But a livelier start to the fourth from Usyk drew the pair out into a fiercer contest, before a more explosive sixth ratcheted up the tension with a flurry of hooks and uppercuts from both men.

With the fight past the halfway point, it looked as if Joshua could fall away with his struggle to convert low shots – but a blistering combination in the ninth left his opponent backpedaling to the ropes.

Usyk promptly responded, though, and his unerring accuracy just about kept Joshua at bay through an enthralling finale to secure a second successive points triumph.