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Heavyweight Anthony Joshua to fight Ukrainian cruiserweight champ

Anthony Joshua to face 34-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk on the 25th of September in London

By Dumebi OkoroaforPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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After beating Tony Bellew and Derek Chisora in November 2018 and October 2020 respectively in his race to win all his 18 professional fights, Anthony Joshua becomes the third British fighter that Oleksandr will face.

31 year old Anthony Joshua, who has won WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight titles is about to stake against 34-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight world champion. The fight is really between unified heavyweight champion versus a former undisputed cruiserweight champion on the 25th of September at the Tottenham Hotspurs stadium in London. Where Usyk is the mandatory challenger

Joshua has made 24 major wins before a shocking loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. In June 2019 of which Joshua revenged in a rematch 6 months later

AJ COMMENT ON THE MATCH AGAINST USYK

"Usyk's fought two heavyweights. He's jumping in at the deep end early on.

"But good luck to him - he must believe in himself. He wants to be at the top end early. It's better to swim deep - get in there and get on with it - rather than tread water.

"You could still end up drowning anyway. You could still get caught in a current and drown. You might as well jump in the deep end and try to survive."

"In boxing, you have to be aggressive and beat that confidence out of your opponent. It's easy to watch on YouTube and watch from the outside but until you're in front of someone it's then a completely different ballgame.

"This is heavyweight boxing and I'm the heavyweight champion of the world. I don't play games. I'm here to win."

"I've learned how to condition my body for specific fights. I'm looking trim for this fight. I'm fighting a guy who is a 12-round fighter. So it would be silly of me to go in there bulky with my muscles screaming for oxygen. I've been training like a 15-round fighter in this camp. I will be well-conditioned to fight. That is key”

According to sport analyst Jonny Nelson "Usyk is the best fighter we may have seen in the ring with AJ to date," said Nelson.

"Success-wise - amateur and professional - style-wise, he is the best fighter that AJ will get in the ring with.

"Not everyone will realize that. People might think, 'AJ is getting in the ring with a cruiserweight,' but he is the best, in my opinion. He's just a winner all the way through.

In the same vein, American boxer Michael Hunter has ditched out advice to Joshua "He is fleet-footed and defensive-minded," Hunter told Sky Sports about Usyk. "It will be very difficult to actually get a win over Usyk in a certain fashion.

"Joshua will have to have a concrete game-plan and follow it. It will be a very hard task.

"If he pulls it off? Give the man credit.

"Because this style of fighting, for him, is the most difficult."

"Anybody at the 200lbs weight class is pretty much a heavyweight. We all hit hard."

Hunter said about Usyk: "Even though he doesn't focus on hitting hard, he has enough power to absorb and withstand punches.

"He is bulking up and he is taller than me, he has some length to him.

"He will do exceptionally well. He hasn't taken any Ls and hasn't been in any trouble since he's been pro.

"A lot of people are saying he hasn't performed to the best of his abilities.

Against Joshua, he will have to.

"He has done it a few times before, like at the Olympics. He is a Grade-A boxer.

"Joshua is still learning on the job, going through experiences.

"There is an element of surprise because we don't know what type of Joshua will come out.

"We know what type of Usyk will come out, we just don't know at what level."

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