**Damian Lillard Criticizes Referee in Fury vs. Usyk Fight**
Despite the Milwaukee Bucks being eliminated from the playoffs earlier this spring, star player Damian Lillard continues to engage with the sports world.
Recently, he expressed his views on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight via his Twitter account, which boasts over 3.3 million followers. Lillard’s comments followed Usyk’s controversial victory over Fury, which left Fury’s supporters unhappy with the judges’ decision.
Lillard shared his opinion during the tight Eastern Conference Finals, where the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are tied at three games each.
Following their playoff exit, the Bucks have been dealing with the aftermath, including unexpected comments from former NBA star Matt Barnes about the team’s head coach. Coach Rivers responded to JJ Redick’s criticism, aiming to clarify the situation.
On Saturday, Lillard focused on the Fury vs. Usyk match, criticizing the officiating of the high-profile bout.
**Lillard Calls Out Referee in Fury-Usyk Match**
Lillard’s concise tweet garnered nearly 100 comments and was viewed about 150,000 times on X by Saturday night.
During the fight, Fury endured heavy blows from Usyk and nearly went down. Lillard’s comment seemed to question the referee’s interference in a scenario that looked like it might end in a knockout favoring Usyk, who ultimately won by decision.
Fury, known as the ‘Gypsy King,’ lost by split decision at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and now faces recovery. Meanwhile, Usyk has become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999 in Las Vegas.
Lillard, a passionate sports fan and one of the NBA’s Top 75 players, often comments on various sporting events. Despite his status, he couldn’t lead the Bucks past the first round of the NBA Playoffs, where they were defeated by the Pacers.
**Fan Reactions to Lillard’s Comment**
Fans reacted strongly to Lillard’s post.
“Rigged match smh,” one fan remarked.
Another simply echoed, “Rigged,” reflecting the general sentiment.
“Ref is trying to cash too,” another added.
While Lillard’s exact point wasn’t completely clear, fans believed he referred to the footage shown during the fight, which he was presumably watching.
“Are you saying the fight should have been stopped? If so I strongly disagree,” another fan commented.
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