Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 LIVE RESULT: Gypsy King drops cryptic retirement hint after storming out of ring – latest
TYSON FURY stormed out of the ring after suffering a heart-breaking points defeat by Oleksandr Usyk - and he has now dropped a cryptic retirement hint!
Officially at his career-heaviest weight of 20 stone, Fury came flying out the blocks before Usyk began to work out the Gypsy King in the latter stages.
After hearing the judges' scorecards being read all in unison of 116-112 for Usyk, Fury immediately left the ring and did not conduct his in-ring interview.
On an eventful undercard, Johnny Fisher was DROPPED by Dave Allen before winning by a controversial decision and Moses Itauma brutally KNOCKED OUT Demsey McKean in the first round.
Follow ALL the reaction from the Kingdom Arena with our live blog below…
Fisher vs Allen - R5
Johnny Fisher KNOCKED DOWN! WOW.
Allen lands a mssive shot and Fisher looks incredibly unsteady. He told us he was coming to win Allen, and he's on the cusp of doing just that!
Fisher vs Allen – R4
Much better round for Allen, who lands a punch similar to the one which KO'd Nick Webb several years ago.
Eddie Hearn, Fisher's promoter, watches nervously from ringside.
Fisher electing to go back onto the jab as before that he was loading up on everything he threw. Allen wants to wear his man down and he might just get his wish if this carries on.
Fisher vs Allen – R3
Fisher continuing to dig huge punches in Allen's direction, but at the moment Allen doesn't look fazed.
He continues to plod forward, trying to land jabs and left hands to the body. He's incredibly durable, is Allen.
Another couple of rounds like this and the back half of his fight will get very interesting indeed.
Fisher's never been past seven rounds in his career.
Fisher vs Allen – R2
More big sweeping shots from Fisher but Allen not too troubled in there at all. He's soaking up all the pressure right now.
Should Fisher tire himself out, this'll get interesting down the stretch.
Fisher lands a big right hand to Allen's dome, though, and back onto the ropes the Doncaster man goes.
Darren Barker, who previously trained Allen, is on comms and notes how far Fisher has come since those spars five years ago.
Fisher vs Allen - R1
Big fight here for Johnny Fisher, who used to spar with Dave Allen when he was a university student.
Allen got the best of those spars, but their careers have taken very different trajectories since those days.
Fisher landing some big body shots in the opening round.
At one point Fisher seemingly lands low and Allen looks to the ref who waves it away. Fisher jumps on the attack and tries to land a huge shot to Allen's head, backing him against the ropes in the process.
Viscous start from Fisher.
Johnny Fisher vs Dave Allen
To the dulcet tones of John Denver, out comes the Romford Bull. This one should be a banger.
Look who's here...
Oleksandr Usyk has arrived at the Kingrom Arena in Riyadh!
And he's got his trusty pal Eeyore with him. Just a few hours away from another huge heavyweight title fight.
Lee McGregor BEATS Isaac Lowe
With scores of 96-92, 97-91, 97-91, it's a unanimous decision win for Lee McGregor.
Much the better man in there tonight. Isaac Lowe gave it his all but McGregor just a little too classy.
Enjoyable fight.
McGregor vs Lowe – R10
Lowe's mouthpiece out again. Another point taken by the referee. The fight is over at this point.
McGregor boxes out the rest of the round but had to come through some hairy moments in the ninth and tenth.
Arguably Lowe's best two rounds of the fight and he had a point taken from him in both. He looks incredibly frustrated as the final bell rings.
Another defeat and you wonder where he goes from here. McGregor, however, reignites his career.
McGregor vs Lowe – R9
Lowe giving it a right go here in the ninth!
McGregor gets caught with a shot and is suddenly a little wobbly on his legs and Lowe tries to finish it with the Scot looking very tired.
Lowe going to the body, trying to take more out of McGregor, who's looking very wobbly right now.
Lowe's gumshield comes out again!
As a result, the referee takes a point and any chance he had of winning the fight on points has disappeared. He has a round left to force a stoppage.
McGregor vs Lowe – R8
More of the same from both men here in the eighth. McGregor continues to show his class while Lowe chases around the ring.
McGregor outboxing his man with ease at the moment.
Lowe's gumshield comes out again and it's noted on commentary that it's because the Westgate Warrior is breathing heavy with his mouth open.
More volume from Lowe, but McGregor with the eye-catching shots.
McGregor vs Lowe – R7
Lowe trying to gain a foothold in this fight but he's struggling to trouble McGregor like he did early on.
McGregor's adapted well since the first two rounds. He can box on the move and coming forward. All he's missing his the power.
Midway through the round, both fighters' gumshields come out and before the ref can pick them up the pair try to continue fighting. Proper.
McGregor gets the better of their exchange when they get back to it again, landing an uppercut and a left hook for Lowe's troubles.
McGregor vs Lowe – R6
McGregor starting to take control of this fight now. His footwork much better than Lowe's and he's decided the way to win this is to box off the back foot.
When he does come forward though, he lands at will. Lowe now bleeding from both eyes as well.
McGregor lands another big right hand over the top. He's landed the same right hand over and over.
Lowe not been great defensively at all.
McGregor vs Lowe – R5
McGregor setting the pace again but Lowe more equal to it this time, covering up well enough when the Scot starts his attacks.
Lowe's eye not looking good - McGregor gets a warning from the referee who says "one more time, I'm telling ya", referring to a potential point deduction for head butts.
McGregor lands a stinging right hand over the top as both men come together following Lee's warning.
Another good round for McGregor.
McGregor vs Lowe – R4
Better start to the round for McGregor who sets a quick pace from the off. He's looking to really impose himself on Lowe...
Perhaps the result of some instructions from his corner. McGregor backs his man against the ropes and throws a left to the body and a right to the head but Lowe takes them well.
Little cut on the eye of Lowe now too. Hotting up nicely.
McGregor vs Lowe – R3
McGregor tries to start the third in the same way but Lowe manages to get to him this time, landing a lovely left hook.
Lowe tries to follow up with more of the same but McGregor retreats.
McGregor also lands here and there, and they look like heavy punches, but they're just not putting a dent in Lowe, whose a naturally bigger man.
Barry Jones on comms notes that at bantamweight, where McGregor was European champ, he might have scored a knockout by now.
McGregor vs Lowe – R2
Lowe looks very heavy-handed in there. Every time he lands anything of note on McGregor, the Scotsman really feels it.
McGregor lands a nice uppercut as Lowe tries to come inside, then he connects with a decent left hook.
Lowe definitely the aggressor since he landed that big shot in the first round while McGregor tries to box.
It's as if McGregor felt the power and decided to switch things up, and Lowe absolutely knows he can hurt his man, so is going after big shot.
McGregor vs Lowe - R1
Aggressive start from McGgregor, who Lowe promised to put to sleep earlier this week.
Targeting the body early is Lowe, but he doesn't really want to get into a slug-fest with McGregor, who has heavy hands when he likes to use them.
Lowe lands a CRACKER of a shot on McGregor's chin and seemingly rocks his man but the Scot comes back with a huge left hand himself.
Great opening round which Lowe finishes pretty well. both men landing bombs already.
Lowe making his walk
Tyson Fury's pal is looking to make it five wins in a row since successive defeats to Luis Alberto Lopez and Nick Ball.
Safe to say Lowe is still searching for a career-defining win, having also lost drawn fights with Ryan Walsh and Ryan Doyle.
Lee McGregor vs Isaac Lowe
Scotsman McGregor is making his way to the ring now for his fight with Lowe in the featherweight division.
This should be a cracker.
Undercard latest - McGrail wins thriller
Peter McGrail has overcome Rhys Edwards by a unanimous decision in a terrific fight as the undercard rolls on at pace in Riyadh.
The judges scored it 96-95, 96-94, 96-94 to McGrail.
Edwards came in as a late replacement, after McGrail's original opponent Dennis McCann failed a drugs test.
Fury's beard verdict
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman disputed Krassyuk’s interpretation and quickly dismissed the promoter’s beard argument.
Sulaiman said: "There's a regulation and the boxing commission inspected him and there is no issue."
So will Fury still have the beard...or is this all mind games?
We don't have long to find out...
Festive feast
Just straying away from the boxing for a second, fans are in for a festive treat as Luke Littler also kickstarts his World Darts Championship campaign - and organisers have made sure that both events don’t clash!
The 17-year-old darts sensation begins his title challenge in the capital against Ryan Meikle.
And the first dart will be thrown in just a couple of hours at 9.15pm - giving fans plenty of time to watch Littler in action before Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk go toe-to-toe in their heavyweight Riyadh dust-up.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's prediction
Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan is a huge boxing fan and has also given his prediction ahead of the blockbuster fight.
The seven-time snooker world champion said: “I'm a Fury fan but I have huge respect for Usyk's skill level, professionalism and achievements.
"Fury's had the better training camp and that makes the difference.
"It will go at least ten rounds and if there's a knockout, it will be Fury's. If it goes to points, it's Fury, too."
Beard drama
Tyson Fury is at the centre of a huge world title rematch row ahead of tonight's huge clash against Oleksandr Usyk - over his BEARD!
Champion Usyk has accused Fury of “grossly violating” strict rules on the length of facial hair and demanded he gets his razor out.
The storm erupted after Fury won his battle to ban the Ukrainian from having a "lucky" crucifix in his corner for Saturday night's £180million heavyweight Saudi showdown.
But Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, fumed: "The beard rule is being grossly violated.
"The WBC rules clearly say, 'A boxer may espouse a trimmed beard as long as the hair thickness does not cushion or affect the impact or trajectory of punches, or cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.
"So, Tyson’s beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further."