KING OF UKRAINE

It's Oleksandr The Greatest as regal Usyk uses patriotism to fuel historic win over Fury in clash of the titans

- MARTIN DOMIN

SO often it has been Tyson Fury who has defied the odds.

From making an improbable comeback from his drink-and-drug-fuelled depression to dragging himself off the canvas on four occasions against Deontay Wilder.

But on an historic night in the desert, he fell agonisingly short. Instead Oleksandr Usyk flipped the script of his undisputed fight to become the division's only ruler.

A few hours after the exhausted champion was led from the ring, Usyk was back on his feet. Perhaps not displaying the menacing footwork with which he stalked Fury during a fight-defining ninth round.

But with remarkable energy for a man who had become the first to topple the giant Brit over 12 enthralling rounds.

Usyk had passed up the opportunity to sleep and instead watched fellow Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk's world title fight in San Diego.