Despite a unanimous decision against him by all three judges, Tyson Fury refuses to accept the Ukrainian fighter has now beaten him in back-to-back title bouts.

Fury described Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over him as a “Christmas gift” from the three judges who all scored the fight 116-112 in favour of the champion.

The verdict was justifiably much more clear-cut than the split-decision ruling which had also given Usyk victory in May.

But Fury offered his contrasting belief at the post-fight press conference: “I thought I won that fight. I thought I won both fights but I’m going home with two losses on my record.

“There’s not much I can do about it. I can just fight my heart out.

“I will believe til the day I die that I won that fight. I was aggressive, on the front foot all night, landing to the body and head. Frank Warren [his promoter] had me three or four rounds up.

“A lot of people had me at least two rounds up. But I’m not going to cry over spilled milk. I can’t change the decision. When you don’t get the KO this is what happens: you can’t guarantee a win.”

– The Guardian