Oleksandr Usyk served Anthony Joshua with his first consecutive losses as a professional boxer.
AJ is no pushover and this was evident on the face of Usyk at the airport as he began his trip home following his split decision victory.
The bout ebbed and flowed with both fighters coming close to securing a knockout victory. Usyk put in some strong early work and so it always seemed that he would win out if the bell rang out at the end of the 12th.
Even ardent AJ fans were surprised to see the fight be decided by a split decision with one of the three referees favouring the Brit.
It was hardly surprising to see Usyk looking worse for wear at the airport but his spirits were far from dampened, as he quoted an iconic line of his.
When asked by a fan how he was doing, âI am feel, I am very feelâ was his response as a nod to a famous interview from a few years back.
There were rings around his eyes and they were definitely black as he sported an ear-to-ear smile along with his unique style as always.
A lot of the post-fight chatter has been regarding Anthony Joshuaâs uncharacteristic, impassioned speech following the defeat.
That is neither here nor there with Usyk retaining the belts, his emotions were on show too given the emotional turmoil of him and his fellow Ukrainians over the last year or so.
Turning attentions to the future and Usykâs next challenger remains to be seen.
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - AUGUST 16: Oleksandr Usyk trains during the Rage on the Red Sea Public Work Out at Club Saudi Arabian Airlines on August 16, 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
There has been talk regarding the possibility of Tyson Fury coming out of retirement once again to face the winner, with reports of a December bout now on the cards.
From an English point of view, it would have been one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport had AJ prevailed but that doesnât take away from the potential of an Usyk-Fury fight.
That would be a must-watch fight if it ever came to fruition.