Following a second successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia with world titles on the line, Tyson Fury was naturally asked about his future in the sport.  

Having retired a handful of times already, fans could be forgiven for taking his career announcements with a pinch of salt.

Those announcements came from a position of great power – one of boxing’s top draws and an undefeated heavyweight champion.

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Now, a Ukrainian he often belittled as a blown-up middleweight – whom he also chastised Anthony Joshua for losing to twice – has, you guessed it… beaten him twice.

The two-time heavyweight champion stormed out of the ring once his promoter Frank Warren showed him the scorecards for the fight which read 116-112 across the board from the human judges and 118-112 from the first-time ever AI judge.

Backstage, Fury insisted to the following pack of media that he had won that fight by at least three rounds.

Without saying he was cheated in Saudi Arabia, the Brit would heavily imply it.

In the press conference, he was flatly asked what’s next for him after coming up short in undisputed and then unified title fights, signalling the first losses of his entire professional career.

‘You might see me fight again, you might not,’ he cryptically answered.

But most of the boxing world suspects we do indeed see him fight again and finally, against Anthony Joshua.

The domestic dust-up has been mooted for the best part of a decade, ever since Fury first became champion when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

Just over four months later, Joshua became a champion in his own right by demolishing Charles Martin inside two rounds at the O2 Arena, and the all-British clash looked like the obvious fight to make.

Yet fans have still never seen Fury and Joshua settle their differences inside the ring. That could soon change.

Both men would be entering the bout off the back of defeats after Joshua was dominated by Daniel Dubois in September, but there remains interest in how it would all unfold.

We could find out in 2025, with Wembley Stadium beckoning for what remains arguably the biggest commercial fight in world boxing.

Alternatively, Fury could finally walk away once and for all. The two-time heavyweight king has climbed to the top of the mountain, beating the likes of Klitschko and Deontay Wilder along the way.

Now, he has a big decision to make over whether to fight on or hang up his gloves for good.

Oleksandr Usyk emerged victorious over Tyson Fury again on Saturday, winning on points – just as he did in their first fight.

Except this time, it was a clearer win for Usyk, according to the judges. While the Ukrainian was a split-decision winner in May, this time he won by unanimous decision.

In his first fight with Fury, Usyk secured scorecards of 115-112 and 114-113, while the other judge favoured the Briton 114-113. With that, Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion in Riyadh.

JUST IN: Oleksandr Usyk topples Tyson Fury in dominant rematch performance

And in the same Saudi city, Usyk earned scorecards of 116-112 from every official on Saturday, with Gerardo Martinez, Pat Morley and Ignacio Robles judging the bout at ringside.

Below are the official, round-by-round scorecards from the judges, followed by a detailed breakdown of how Indy Sport scored the bout…

Round one

Both men run to the centre of the ring. Usyk seems to stumble back upon a right hook to the body from Fury, within the first five seconds. Whereas Fury was on the back foot for much of the first fight, he tries to take the centre of the ring from the first bell this time. Usyk lands two crosses to the body, blocks a left hook, and fires two more straights to the torso. He charges Fury with a longer combination, though both men land. Fury with a long right hand to the body, then a jab there. He looks two weight classes bigger. Usyk with a cross upstairs, then we see the first clinch of the fight. Usyk already taking the centre of the ring away from Fury. Palpable tension. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round two

Fury trying to find the southpaw with jabs, but Usyk keeping good range and a high guard. Two crosses by Usyk, attacking the body, then some jabs to the same target. Usyk holding the middle of the ring, and throwing greater volume of output. Fury skids a right cross off Usyk’s head, but the Ukrainian avoids the worst of the impact. Fury burrows a right uppercut into the body. He stings Usyk with a cross to the head – the best shot of the fight, but not enough to win the round. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round three

Fury with a decent left hook, before Usyk closes range and lands two clubbing shots and complains that Fury’s counter hit the back of his head. Another quick left hook by Fury, but Usyk evades the follow-up one-two. Usyk on the offence. Another clinch. Some clumsier work from both men, as they try to assert dominance. Fury attacking the body now. Two slick lefts from Fury, who gets some blood dripping from Usyk’s nose. Usyk 9-10 Fury.

Round four

Usyk with a good start, but Fury fires back to keep it close. Usyk with a flurry to the body, Fury replies with one hard shot upstairs. Left hand and right by Usyk, eliciting “ooo”s from the crowd. He follows up. Usyk feinting level changes, feeling himself now. Fury takes the centre, trying to arrest momentum, while Usyk stays mobile. Fury with a solid right hand. Usyk trying to keep perspective and play the long game by targeting the body. Still so tense. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round five

Lots of clinching early in the round, with Fury using his massive frame to lean on the champion and fire off short punches. Fury lands a close-range uppercut, and Usyk winces then shakes his head. Fury tries to clinch again, but the referee separates them. Fury on the front foot for now. Usyk with good body work, then going to the head. Right uppercut to Usyk’s body. The champion skips around but breathes heavily. Right hook to his body by Fury. Two more swipes at the body, but Usyk smiles and fires off a barrage of headshots. Usyk ends strong, but… Usyk 9-10 Fury.

Round six

Usyk goes to the body then the head. More lead-hand activity from Fury, lots of jabs. He’s making it harder for Usyk to close range, which was an issue for the Ukrainian for a long spell in the first fight. Right cross lands for Fury, decent left hook. Better moment for Usyk now, putting together combinations – going from body to head again. Clean cross by Usyk, which Fury felt! More headshots from Fury. Good end to the round by Usyk, to take it for sure. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round seven

Nothing of note landing for either man, but Fury is in the centre and keeping an active lead hand. Some boos, for the first time, due to the relative lack of action. Fury eats a left cross upstairs! Now Usyk attacks the body. Fury goes southpaw late in the round. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round eight

Usyk stalking Fury, who lands an uppercut, the sort that worked so well in May. Clash of heads, but only a brief break. Good body work by Usyk, then Fury is warned for hitting the back of the head. Fury looking a bit tired and worried. But he comes back now. Only briefly, though, before Usyk lands to the head then the body. Really positive end to the round. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round nine

Usyk buzzing around Fury like a wasp – more vindictive than a bee! Fury trying to keep the Ukrainian off him. Fury trying to wear on Usyk in the clinch, but it’s a brief one. Hard body shot from the Briton, then two more with uppercuts. Usyk with his own body shots, but he walks onto another uppercut. And another! Fury using that shot that worked so well in the first fight. Both men land to the head. One-two to the body of Fury, one shot to the head. Body then head again. Cross by Usyk, as Fury breathes hard and backs off. Usyk might have snatched this round late… Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round 10

Nice uppercut to the head by Fury. Usyk is marked under his left eye now. Fury with a flurry. One-two to Usyk’s body, then he leans on Usyk. Cross upstairs by Usyk, then two jabs. Fury again using the uppercut, and again wearing on the smaller man. Left hook at point-blank range by Fury. Usyk looks tired but he’s still throwing back, including a nice left hand. Busy end to the round by both men. Thrilling spell. Usyk 9-10 Fury.

Round 11

Fury comes forward, but Usyk attacks the body to deter the challenger. Usyk just looks half a step ahead right now. Usyk gets through with crosses to the head, cornering Fury. Fury with two hooks to the body. Rapid left cross by Usyk. Fury is bruised under the eyes. Usyk with another cross. He is turning the screw, and might just be sealing victory in these very seconds. Usyk 10-9 Fury.

Round 12

Hard right hook to Usyk’s body. Fury is getting after Usyk, having been given a talking-to by his corner, but Usyk stings Fury. Usyk is feinting in front of Fury, who looks nervous. But he lands a good uppercut and hook to the head. One-two by Fury! Both men land now. Usyk with a clean cross and left uppercut. Fury closes range and buries an uppercut into the body. Usyk 9-10 Fury.

A rematch is used in boxing to clear up unanswered questions, and Oleksandr Usyk did exactly that in his second win over Tyson Fury — this time by unanimous decision.

The pair clashed in Riyadh on Saturday night for the WBA, WBC and WBO world heavyweight titles, and this time around it was a clearer result.

After a tense build-up, Fury seemed back to his usual self, with a ringwalks which started with Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’ before the Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Hypnotize’.

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Annihilation was the word Fury was using when it came to what would transpire in the ring, and it was immediately obvious the “Gypsy King” wanted to dominate by taking control of centre ring in round one.

A chess match began to unfold with the two swapping roles, this time Usyk on the front foot and in the centre of the ring. Then, it was noticeable that this was a different Usyk fighting under the bright lights of Riyadh.

The Ukrainian has become known for his slick footwork and ability to weave away from any threats his opponents pose, but for his second encounter with Fury, he decided to take the fight to the former WBC heavyweight champion.

In rounds three and four, Usyk was marching Fury down, and landed a number of left hands to the head and body as he looked to slow down Fury and his 20 stone frame.

Fury had to try and seize control, and in round five it looked like there was a chance to do that as Usyk slowed down. Fury found success with a number of punches including a right to the body and the uppercut which caused so many problems in the first fight, but Usyk was using this period as a chance to recover before going up a gear once more.

From round six onwards, a pattern began to play out. While Fury did enjoy brief moments, Usyk always finished the rounds strong. His left hand was where all the danger was coming from and whenever it looked like Fury was on course to win a round, Usyk snatched it away with the more effective ring work.

With Usyk having a second wind towards the final three rounds, Fury’s best chance of stopping Usyk was to slow him down and he tried every weapon in his arsenal. From body shots to smothering in the clinch, Usyk shrugged them off and continued to come forward as he stalked his prey.

In the 12th and final round, it was clear, Fury needed a knockout if he was to get the win. Fury tried all he could, but despite the gruelling nature of this contest, Usyk still had the audacity and power to trouble the Brit, the stoppage however never came.

While it was a successive loss to Usyk to Fury, there was a clear improvement. At 20 stone and seeing him in the flesh, there were concerns as to whether someone with that frame can last 12 gruelling rounds against a pound-for-pound great.

Fury’s gigantic frame however lasted the full contest, and it was something to be admired and showed that the three-month training camp in Malta paid off.

But on the night, while Fury had glimpses in each of the rounds, Usyk was doing the more effective work which made sure the rounds were his, and this performance confirmed the Ukrainian as the world’s number one heavyweight.

For what Usyk will do next, there’s a myriad of options including an undisputed showdown with the winner of IBF champion Daniel Dubois’ clash with Joseph Parker on February 22 or even retirement.

Usyk will now do what he often does next: He will disappear from the boxing world as he enjoys the fruits of his labour. One thing is for sure however, everyone will await his next move with bated breath.