Now for the rematch! Tyson Fury is set to bank another £100m when he fights Usyk again after controversial loss in Saudi – as wife Paris admits she was ‘bag of nerves’ before fight and Gypsy King claims opponent only won because of sympathy for Ukraine

Tyson Fury is set to pocket another £100million from a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk after losing for the first time last night as the Ukrainian fighter became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-cushion era.

The judges scored the fight 115-112 Usyk, 114-113 Fury and 114-113 Usyk that night to see Usyk win via split decision – but the pre-fight deal the two boxers signed sets up a second meeting.

Fury, from Morecambe in Lancashire, claimed afterwards that the judges favored Usyk because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – while the British boxer’s wife Paris revealed she was a ‘bag of nerves’ before the epic fight.

It has also been revealed that the triumphant Usyk, 37, was taken to hospital with a suspected broken jaw instead of attending a post-match press conference.

The fight was split into two halves at the Kingdom Arena after the 35-year-old Fury dominated the opening rounds before Usyk came back to control the fight with a flurry of punches in the ninth round, leaving the Gypsy King floundering.

After the final round, there was mutual respect between the two fighters who exchanged kisses and hugs as they waited for the result.

But Fury’s mood soured when Usyk was declared the winner, with the British fighter telling an interviewer “People are siding with it Usyk because of the war in Ukraine’.

Fury’s wife Paris, 34, said beforehand of watching her husband fight: ‘I hate it. I have to be honest, that’s the straight answer.

‘I support him, but I don’t enjoy it. I hate being there, but on the other hand I feel like I need to be there.

“I feel like, if I’m not there, what happens if something goes wrong and I’m not with him?”

Fury insisted after his first-ever defeat of his career that he was ready for a rematch that would take place in October.

He said, ‘I believe I won that fight. He won a few rounds, but I won most of them.

“It’s one of those things: what can you do with decisions in boxing? We both fought well, the best we could do. His country is at war, so people side with the country that is at war.

“But make no mistake, in my opinion, I won that fight. I will come back. I have a second chance clause. I suffered a split-decision loss to a good little man.

“We’ll go back, get some rest, spend some time with our families and get back to it in October. I’m not going to sit here and cry and make excuses. It was a good fight.

“We’ll go back to our families and run it again in October. Good luck to Oleksandr, well done. God bless, Happy New Year!’

Both men had come flying out of the blocks in the opening round, with Fury trying to keep Usyk at bay before landing some heavy shots to the body.

However, Usyk, using his diligent footwork, tried to nullify Fury’s reach and get inside by operating at different levels – which ultimately paid off.

In the opening round, Fury was clearly having a good time, gesturing to the crowd before being caught by the Ukrainian while on the ropes.

The Gypsy King looked for the uppercut in the second round and missed twice before overtaking Usyk with 10 seconds left. The Ukrainian carried it well, but certainly felt Fury’s power.

Usyk then landed a right-left combination in the second before reeling from a powerful body shot from Fury.

However, the Ukrainian ended the round by getting Fury in the corner and throwing a flurry of punches before complaining that his counter punch landed on the back of the head.

Then a clash of heads in the fourth fans ensured Fury’s gash would open up, but Fury didn’t seem concerned – calling on Usyk before doing a few Muhammed Ali shuffles.

Fury appeared to gain the upper hand over his opponent as Usyk complained of two low blows in the fifth round before being caught twice to the body. Fury also managed to cut Usyk above his right eye.

The Gypsy King got the fans excited in the sixth, landing an uppercut that wobbled the Ukrainian before finishing the round with his hands behind his back.

However, Usyk survived and mounted an impressive comeback, continuing to operate at different levels in the eighth to try to close the distance.

Then the reels turned on the ninth round. Fury was saved by the bell, or perhaps the referee, after going down following a brutal attack from Usyk.

The Ukrainian tapped into an energy that Fury thought was not lasting after previously dominating, and stunned the British heavyweight with a number of powerful combinations.

Usyk then continued the attack in the 10th, asserting his dominance over the British star as he continued to set the pace and keep Fury in the background.

After the tenth, both men showed signs of fatigue after putting everything they had into what can only be described as an excellent fight.

It was an all-out war for the final round, with the judges scoring 115-112 Usyk, 114-113 Fury and 114-113 Usyk.

After the fight, Fury claimed ‘people are siding with’ Usyk because of the war in Ukraine’ after his split-decision defeat.

Usyk’s trainer, Alexander Krassyuk, apparently disagreed with Fury’s claims as he insisted the Ukrainian was robbed of a knockout in the ninth round.

Krassyuk said: ‘I’m exhausted, I supported Usyk the whole fight. No disrespect to the referee, but I think he stopped a KO in the ninth, but it was a great performance regardless.

“It was incredible and I hope to see more in the rematch.”

Shortly after the decision, fans showed their support for the Briton on social media, with some claiming he was being unfairly treated on the scorecards.

“Tyson Fury got robbed,” a fan posted on X in response to the fight. ‘Show the heart of a lion.’

Another wrote: ‘Fury 115 Usyk 144 – Fury robbed but Usyk brilliant!’

Some of the sport’s biggest stars were in attendance on the evening, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Joshua and Neymar looking on.

Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has been a regular at big fights in Saudi Arabia and continued that trend on Saturday.

Sitting next to Joshua for the big fight, the footballer was given plenty of attention as the build-up to the main event continued at the Kingdom Arena.

Before the main event kicked off, the 39-year-old was approached by former rival and fellow football superstar Neymar, and the two had a brief conversation before embracing.

In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport ahead of the fight, Usyk said he wants to give something back to those who have suffered from the war in his home country.

His charity, the Usyk Foundation, has launched a major fundraising campaign to raise €1 million to purchase 50 ambulances to save Ukrainian lives amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Speaking about the conflict, he said: ‘My daily routine starts with picking up the phone and reading the news about how many rockets landed in Kiev, Kharkiv and other cities today.

“Every morning I check to see if all my friends and loved ones are alive and pray for their safety. And this is how millions of Ukrainians start their day.

‘I received many messages of support from all over the world for the undisputed fight. Those words inspire and motivate me.’