Anthony Joshua will put his WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight belts on the line against Oleksandr Usyk, following a failed attempt at securing an undisputed showdown against WBC titleholder Tyson Fury. Meanwhile, ‘AJ’ will enjoy a home crowd, as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might host the title fight in September.
Joshua, in his last fight against Kubrat Pulev in Wembley, UK, received legitimate crowd support. So, if he fights in London, he would likely retain the home support against the undefeated Ukrainian. However, despite being the most valid matchup in the heavyweight division, the mega clash is still not official.
That said, Oleksandr Usyk’s manager Alexander Krassyuk has updated Sky Sports about every detail regarding the paper works.
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“We are waiting for King AJ’s decision whether he is brave enough to get dethroned.”
“There are no visible obstacles to the deal not to take place,” said Krassyuk.
Oleksandr Usyk already alarmed the heavyweight division by outworking Dereck Chisora in October to become mandatory for Joshua.
However, Anthony Joshua was scheduled to face Tyson Fury for a unification clash. The fight was almost official until Deontay Wilder made his subtle entry. The former WBC champion won a case, thereby securing his trilogy fight against Fury. This opened the doors for Usyk, who was resigned to a battle against Joe Joyce.
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Can Oleksandr Usyk beat Anthony Joshua?
18-0 as a professional, Usyk is one of the most skilled boxers of this generation. Before moving to heavyweight, he conquered the cruiserweight division. Hence, he would always have his chances in any boxing clash.
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However, Dereck Chisora provided a blueprint that can help ‘AJ’ to beat ‘The Cat’. Although Usyk won it via decision, Chisora troubled him, proving to the world that the Ukrainian is human.
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Given the current scenario, Joshua would offer a much bigger threat than Chisora. Hence, Usyk cannot demean the champion, especially in a heavyweight bout against him.
How do you see the fight between Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk going?