One of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world once again prevailed in enemy territory.
Undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (16-0, 12 KOs) denied England’s Tony Bellew a storybook ending to his career, as the Ukrainian steadily took over proceedings after a slow start and knocked Bellew out with a sensational left hand in the eighth round. Bloody Elbow scored the fight 67-66 for Usyk at the time of the stoppage, although two official judges at ringside at the Manchester Arena scored it in Bellew’s favor.
Round one was largely a feel-out process, but action did pick up by round three, and both men landed good shots on each other.