Anthony Joshua has never fought anybody with Oleksandr Usyk’s ability, and Usyk has never fought a legit top heavyweight.
Follow Us
Anthony Joshua has never fought anybody with Oleksandr Usyk’s ability, and Usyk has never fought a legit top heavyweight boxer. Whoever wins will walk away with immeasurable credit and respect. We all thought we were going to see a year where Anthony Joshua faces off with old foe Tyson Fury. Unfortunately, legal issues robbed us of that fight but this is not a bad second prize. Joshua vs Usyk is a superb bout in its own right because it isn’t often you get two former Olympic Gold medalists facing off in the ring and this has the potential to be a cracking fight.
“Anthony, hello, I am here” ?
Oleksandr Usyk’s message to Anthony Joshua ahead of Saturday’s fight ?
Book Joshua vs Usyk, live on Sky Sports Box Office on September 25 ?https://t.co/nSgrSD8TxW #JoshuaUsyk ? pic.twitter.com/gP6r9BcY6B
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) September 20, 2021
Anthony Joshua comes into this fight full of confidence because of the size and height difference of the two warriors. Joshua is the reigning champion and has bounced well from the shock defeat at the hands of then unknown Mexican Andy Ruiz.
Casual boxing enthusiasts may know little about the Challenger from Ukraine. Oleksandr Usyk had an amazing amateur career which climaxed with a gold medal at London 2012. He and Joshua’s paths never crossed because he was a weight below in that tournament. He has amassed an 18-0 record since turning pro. He obliterated the cruiserweight division before moving up to heavyweight in 2019.
Anthony Joshua has a huge advantage physically in this fight. He will be hoping that his superior height, reach, power and weight allow him to dominate but Usyk is a tricky customer and it may not be as easy as that.
A relatively in-shape Andy Ruiz is probably the best ‘boxer’ that Joshua has faced so far and we saw how that fight unfolded. Joshua had similar height and reach advantages vs Ruiz to what he has for this bout and it will also be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Fury told Seconds Out: “I don’t believe Usyk is a heavyweight for one.
“I think he’s a pumped up cruiserweight who struggles with heavyweights.
“In my opinion, Derek Chisora beat Oleksandr Usyk; he certainly struggled with Derek Chisora and Joshua is a much bigger, stronger man than Derek.
“I think he [Joshua] walks straight through Usyk.
“People are trying to build it up as a scary fight but he didn’t have the power to halt cruiserweights like Mairis Briedis or whoever else he fought.”
Tyson Fury is Anthony Joshua’s next opponent and he has predicted Joshua to take the win.
“Anthony Joshua must be the favourite for the fight. He’s the bigger guy and he’s a bigger puncher,” Warren told iFL TV.
“Having said that, if he doesn’t get rid of him, and if he’s still there after five or six rounds, then it gets to the end of the fight, if that goes 12 rounds, I would fancy Usyk to get the decision because to get there, he’s going to have to outbox him.
“He proved it at cruiserweight. He was fantastic, and he’s made his mark in that weight division. He was a superb cruiserweight.”
