Get round by round results and full fight coverage here for the cruiserweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tony Bellew.
Manchester Arena in Manchester, England plays host to a major boxing match today (Saturday, November 10th). Undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk takes on former WBC champion Tony Bellew in a bout that doubles as both an Usyk title defense and Bellew’s retirement fight.
Usyk (15-0, 11 KOs) is an Olympic gold medalist with a remarkable amateur career, and in five years as a professional he’s established himself as up there with his friend and fellow gold medalist Vasyl Lomachenko as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best. He’s a “road warrior,” having won the WBO title from Krzysztof Glowacki in Poland in 2016, defended that belt in Germany against Germany’s former champ Marco Huck, won the WBC title from Latvian Mairis Briedis in Latvia, then took the WBA and IBF belts from Russia’s Murat Gassiev in Moscow, along with the World Boxing Super Series trophy.
Bellew (30-2-1, 20 KOs) once held the WBC title in the 200 lbs division, rallying from a knockdown to brutally knock out Ilunga Makabu in front of a partisan crowd at Goodison Park in Liverpool. In recent times, he’s had a pair of bouts vs. the since-retired heavyweight David Haye, winning both fights by TKO, albeit with the first one started by Haye’s achilles injury. There was no debating the outcome of the rematch, and having retired Haye, the Englishman looks to go out on a high note by shocking the world and becoming the first man to defeat the Ukrainian standout.
The bout will be streamed live on DAZN in North America, with an approximate main event start time of 5 PM ET/2 PM PT. The undercard starts at 6 PM UK time (1 PM ET/10 AM PT). Sky Box Office has the PPV in the United Kingdom.
Join as at Bloody Elbow for live results and play-by-play of the fight.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tony Bellew – For Usyk’s WBC, WBO, IBF, and WBA cruiserweight titles
Round 1 – We’re underway from Manchester! Feeling out process in the opening minute. Usyk measuring his opponent up with the jab. Bellew 1-2 is blocked. Bellew throws a couple of jabs and lands one. Body shot by Bellew is blocked. Usyk connects on a jab. And glances off another one. Bellew is short on a straight right. That was a nothing round. 10-10.
Round 2 – Good jab by Usyk to start this round. Quick right hand just misses for Usyk. Another jab snaps Bellew’s head back. It’s Usyk doing pressuring right now and lands another right, then goes to the body. Body shot in return by Bellew. Good left by Bellew to Usyk’s chin. Another Bellew body shot. Counter right by Bellew, who now talks to Usyk. Crowd is really into it. Bellew catches Usyk with a jab. Good two-punch combo by Usyk. Counter-jab by Usyk. Bellew with a shot before the round ends. 20-19 Bellew.
Round 3 – Good body shot by Usyk with the left hand. The champion gets Bellew with a clean punch upstairs. Counter right by Bellew off the ropes. Usyk keeps pumping out the jab to the head and body. Another good shot by Bellew. Hard straight left by Usyk! Things starting to open up. Usyk connects with a right hook on the inside. Bellew with an uppercut. 29-29.
Round 4 – Left hand catches Bellew off-guard and he was stunned! He gets hit with more good shots and then returns fire. Bellew dodges two punches excellently. Usyk has Bellew in the corner. Sneaky right hook and a snapping left hand. Bellew comes back with a nice shot. Usyk eats a jab. Sweeping left by Usyk and a straight shot scores as well. Nice right hand by Bellew. Another jab by Usyk. Bellew just leans against the ropes trying to taunt Usyk. Bellew going downstairs. Good left by Usyk! Straight right by Bellew. 39-38 Usyk.
Round 5 – Usyk starts out jabbing and on the front foot. Bellew misses and Usyk counters. Good body shot by Bellew. Not much action through the first half of this round but then Usyk charges forward with a strong southpaw jab. Bellew with a combination. Usyk with a combo of his own to the body and head. Big left hand by Usyk! Bellew lands low and acknowledges. Usyk with good defense on Bellew’s flurry. Stiff jab by Usyk. Sniping right by Bellew. They engage in a mini-firefight and both men land shots. 49-47 Usyk.
Round 6 – Sharp left form Usyk. Bellew going back to the body. Usyk still committing to his jab and dictating the terms of the fight. Wild left by Usyk is off target, but he catches Bellew with the same punch seconds later. Bellew goes forward but can’t land cleanly. Right hook by Usyk. They each connect with right hand. Bellew ducks under an Usyk left. Bellew with a body punch. Big uppercut by Usyk. Right hand by Bellew. One more time as the bell sounds. 58-57 Usyk.
Round 7 – Usyk coming out aggressively to start the seventh round and tagging Bellew frequently. Usyk attacks Bellew’s body. Hard jab by the Ukrainian. And another one. Now he goes back to the body and throwing a lot of shots while Bellew isn’t countering. Bellew springs alive but Usyk blocks them with his guard. Jab and left hand by Usyk against the ropes. Nice right by Bellew but Usyk responds. This is a great round for Usyk. Multiple lefts score for Usyk. 68-66 Usyk.
Round 8 – Straight left clips Bellew right away. Bellew looking to counter. Usyk with a heavy combination as he unloads in the corner, before Bellew moves away. Right hand glances off Usyk’s forehead. Hard right hook by Usyk, then a lovely jan. Two strong lefts by Usyk! Bellew getting beaten up with those shots. More left hands by Usyk! Bellew is in trouble. HUGE LEFT HAND AND BELLEW IS DOWN! HE IS NOT GOING TO RECOVER FROM THAT! HE GETS UP BUT HE’S WOOZY AND OUT OF IT AND IT IS OVER. WHAT A SHOT! USYK RETAINS HIS TITLES!
Official result: Oleksandr Usyk def. Tony Bellew by KO at 2:00 of round 8