Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2: Records, form guide, fight preview

Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2: Here’s all you need to know about the fighters’ records, form, date and timing of the bout.

Published : Aug 20, 2022 20:27 IST

Anthony Joshua will take on Oleksandr Usyk with a chance to claim four world heavyweight boxing titles in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Anthony Joshua will take on Oleksandr Usyk with a chance to claim four world heavyweight boxing titles in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
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Anthony Joshua will take on Oleksandr Usyk with a chance to claim four world heavyweight boxing titles in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

USYK vs JOSHUA 2 FIGHT PREVIEW

Ukraine’s defending champion Oleksandr Usyk is attracting the money ahead of his “Rage on the Red Sea” heavyweight world title rematch with Britain’s Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

British bookmaker William Hill had Usyk as the 4/7 favourite, with 80 per cent of customers backing the Ukrainian to win by knockout or stoppage. Joshua was down as a 13/8 underdog, with a draw at 16/1.

“Most of the commentary around this rematch has been in favour of a Oleksandr Usyk victory, with the Ukrainian being very much the one our customers want to be with ahead of Saturday night,” said Hill spokesman Tony Kenny.

The 35-year-old Usyk, who has served with the Ukrainian army, wore Cossack clothes and stood to sing a patriotic call to arms when the fighters came face to face at a news conference in Jeddah on Wednesday.

“His incentive to take this fight was not his thirst for success or willingness to become the greatest; he took it for his country and for his people, because Ukraine needs victory,” his promoter Alexander Krassyuk told the BBC.

Joshua, who lost to Usyk in front of a sell-out home crowd at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September, is fighting for his future.

The 32-year-old may not be heading into retirement if he loses again but his days of big-money title fights could be over.

“It’s up to me at the end of the day, it’s not up to anyone else what I do with my career,” Joshua told reporters this week as retirement questions were asked.

“I don’t have to do this. Why do I do it? It’s because it’s all I know.”

Victory might be enough to make WBC champion Tyson Fury rethink his retirement, opening up the prospect of an all-British showdown for the unified title in what would be box office gold. - REUTERS

What’s at stake?

Both men will be fighting for more than a fistful of world heavyweight boxing belts and a bumper payday when they step into the ring in Jeddah.

The winner will be crowned the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion.

Fighters’ records and form guide

Oleksandr Usyk

  • Nationality: Ukraine
  • Stance: Southpaw
  • Age: 35
  • Height: 6′ 3″ / 191cm
  • Reach: 78″ / 198cm
  • Pro Boxing record: 19-0-0 (13 KO wins)

Anthony Joshua

  • Nationality: United Kingdom
  • Stance: Orthodox
  • Age: 32
  • Height: 6′ 6″ / 198cm
  • Reach: 82″ / 208cm
  • Pro Boxing record: 24-2-0 (22 KO wins, 1 KO loss)
Form Guide (last five bouts)
Oleksandr Usyk
September 25, 2021: Win vs Anthony Joshua - by Unanimous Decision
October 31, 2020: Win vs Derek Chisora - by Unanimous Decision
October 12, 2019: Win vs Chazz Witherspoon - by Retirement
November 10, 2018: Win vs Tony Bellew - by Knockout
July 21, 2018: Win vs Murat Gassiev - by Unanimous Decision
Anthony Joshua
September 25, 2021: Loss vs Anthony Joshua - by Unanimous Decision
December 12, 2020: Win vs Kubrat Pulev - by Knockout
December 7, 2019: Win vs Andy Ruiz Jr - by Unanimous Decision
June 1, 2019: Loss vs Andy Ruiz Jr - by Technical Knockout
September 22, 2018: Win vs Alexander Povetkin- by Technical Knockout
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