Savage cruiserweight knockout stuns boxing world
Undisputed world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk successfully defended his four belts against British fighter Tony Bellew on Sunday.
In the eighth round of their bout in Manchester, Usyk took control when he sent Bellew to the canvas by following up a straight right with a devastating looping left.
The savage knockout sent Bellew straight into retirement:
Roared on by a passionate home crowd, Bellew started brightly and was ahead on two of the three judges scorecards when the fight was stopped.
But Usyk, who has never lost a professional fight, was the man getting stronger as the bout wore on and delivered the knockout blow with a left hand to leave Bellow floored.
The insane left-hook stunned the boxing world:
@usykaa KO's Bellew 💀 pic.twitter.com/fpiNixbDLF
— Funny MMA (@RealFunnyMMA) November 11, 2018
Bellew bit more than he could chew and payed the price. That KO was nasty
— JuJu (@RyHaighy) November 11, 2018
Super late but huge respect for Bellew. He was winning the fight for me until the KO. Had a great career and proved everyone wrong.
— James (@Magnifix_) November 11, 2018
That is one nasty, nasty KO by Oleksandr Usyk, Jesus Christ 😱
— Lewis (@LewisLUFC1919) November 11, 2018
Just watched the Bellew KO. Quite a cruncher.
— Jake Findlater (@FindlaterJake) November 11, 2018
“I walk away. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, after 20 years it’s over,” said Bellew, 35, who won the WBC cruiserweight title in 2016 at Goodison Park, home of his beloved Everton football club.
“I gave it everything I had, he’s an exceptional champion.
“He’s everything I feared. He’s a great fighter, the best I’ve ever fought.”
Usyk, described as the “perfect boxer” by British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, is the first man to unify all four major world championships at cruiserweight.
“I sparred with him years ago in Ukraine and he beat me up then,” added Bellew.
“I haven’t learned my lesson, he’s exceptional. I tried my best but it wasn’t good enough.”
Usyk, who also won an Olympic gold medal at London 2012, takes his professional record to 16-0.
with Agencies.