For the boxing monarchists craving one clear ruler in the sport’s glamour division, the last 24 years crept by with a languid cruelty. And a long quarter-century, an epoch of waiting, led to a long night in Riyadh – a city in the sand, on a small stretch of society in the desert. At least this night brought catharsis. At least, and at last, it brought boxing a new undisputed heavyweight champion.

Twenty-five years after Lennox Lewis earned a permanent place in history – on another strip of desert, no less – Oleksandr Usyk was crowned king.

He stood beside Tyson Fury, his opponent and now perennial partner, both held up by breathless anticipation, their sweat unsure whether to cling to torn faces or slip down dented bodies. Yet the decision that really mattered had already been made by the judges, and it had gone in Usyk’s favour – barely, but correctly: 115-112, 113-114, 114-113.

Report by Alex Pattle in Riyadh

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fought to a bloody, exhausted and brutal standstill in a battle for far more than the various championship belts they paraded at the end.

In the hot Saudi Arabian night, Usyk needed help to raise his weary arms in victory when he was given a slim split decision; there was then an unholy scuffle by men in suits to drape their belts across his blood-stained body. It had been 12 rounds of craft and brutality, desperate at times and packed with unforgettable moments. The men from the sanctioning bodies should have stood their ground and let the great man parade.

Fury believed he had done enough, Usyk could barely talk, but there was no abuse of power in that Riyadh ring, just a spectacle that will live for a long, long time in the memories of every witness. They had not celebrated at the final bell, just embraced, hugged, and Fury planted several tender kisses on Usyk’s head.

By Steve Bunce in Riyadh

Tyson Fury has confirmed he will activate his rematch clause to fight Oleksandr Usyk for a second time after defeat in the undisputed heavyweight world title fight in Riyadh.

The Briton was outpointed by the Ukrainian by split decision and faced a controversial and crucial count in the ninth round, narrowly escaping a stoppage.

But both fighters possessed the option to fight again should they suffer defeat and Fury immediately confirmed his intent and revealed the month the fight will take place.

“I won that fight in my opinion,” Fury said. “I think he won a few of those rounds but I won the majority of them.

“His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war.

“We go back to our families and we run it back in October. For sure, we’ll rest up, then get back on it in October, I thought I won the fight but I’m not going to cry and make excuses.”

Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury via split decision on Saturday, handing the Briton the first loss of his professional career and becoming undisputed heavyweight champion.

The scorecards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury, and 114-113 to Usyk. The first scorecard belonged to Manuel Oliver Palomo, the second was Craig Metcalfe’s, and the third was Mike Fitzgerald’s.

Those scores resulted in a victory for the unbeaten Usyk, who became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years. But which of those scorecards, if any, was accurate?

Below are the official, round-by-round scorecards from the judges, followed by a detailed breakdown of how Indy Sport scored the bout from ringside at the Kingdom Arena...

Not since Lennox Lewis in 2000 had a heavyweight held all the major gold, but Usykemulated that feat with a split-decision win over Fury, who was previously undefeated as a professional – like Saturday’s winner.

Anthony Joshua believes the scorecards went the right way as Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Usyk beat Fury 115-112, 113-114, 114-111 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000.

The result saw Usyk, 37, add to his undisputed cruiserweight triumph and Olympic gold medal, while keeping the Ukrainian unbeaten. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Fury suffered his first professional loss.

And the scorecards went the right way, according to Fury and Usyk’s heavyweight rival Joshua. The Briton’s reaction was caught by TNT Sports after the final bell and he immediately replied “Usyk” when he was asked who he won the fight.

Tyson Fury suggested “it was what it was” after he appeared to accuse the judges of helping Oleksandr Usyk win their fight because Ukraine is “at war”.

Fury’s effort to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion ended in defeat by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The scorecards read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Usyk, and 114-113 to Fury.

Fury was asked to clarify comments he made in the ring in the “immediate and emotional aftermath” of the decision.

“It was what it was, one of the judges had me winning, two of them didn’t... can’t really say much about it,” he said.

The result saw Usyk, 37, add to his undisputed cruiserweight triumph and Olympic gold medal, while keeping the Ukrainian unbeaten. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Fury suffered his first professional loss.

All of these fights and results have factored into The Independent’s own top 10, pound-for-pound rankings for men’s boxers, to be updated monthly.

While there is no exact science to putting together lists such as this, a number of factors have been considered in making the rankings, including each fighter’s overall record, recent record, level of activity and calibre of opposition.

In the ninth round, Fury was arguably lucky not to see the fight waved off when Usyk hurt him badly. Usyk, 37, had Fury, 35, out on his feet, but the referee gave the Briton a strange standing count – potentially saving him from a knockout loss. Yet Fury feels he was denied a rightful victory.