Usyk outboxes Joshua to become two-time world champion
Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13KOs) is the new unified heavyweight world champion after dethroning Anthony Joshua (24-2, 22KOs) with an incredible performance in London on September 25.
The Ukrainian put on a masterclass in front of 65,000 fans inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, comprehensively outclassing defending champion Joshua over 12 rounds, hurting the home fighter on numerous occasions.
The scorecards – 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 – were all for Usyk and there was a mere shrug of the shoulders from Joshua as the second defeat of his professional career was confirmed.
Having seen a fight with fellow Briton Tyson Fury collapse last summer, Joshua opted to face his WBO mandatory challenger and former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk instead.
It appeared the easier fight for Joshua, at first, against an undisputed cruiserweight champion who many believe is too small for the weight, but boxing's triumphant return to stadium nights was soured for the home crowd by a truly exceptional performance from the challenger.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn suggested his fighter may have suffered a broken eye socket and would need to go to hospital.
"I don't know if he has broken his eye socket, it doesn't look great," he said. "He said he couldn't see after the ninth round, obviously he was getting tagged a lot as well."
A devastated Joshua left the ring immediately after the decision but later posted a short message on Twitter, saying: "Keep positive even if the world's crumbling in front of you! London I love you & thank you each and every time!"
Anthony Joshua says he is "a different animal, not a sulker" and "will bounce back" from losing his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua said he "couldn't see in round nine" after an eye injury sustained in Saturday's 12-round fight with the Ukrainian at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
His promoter Eddie Hearn suggested his fighter may have suffered a broken eye socket.
"I can't go back and sulk – that's wasting time," Joshua, 31, said.
Asked after the fight about what went wrong, the defeated Briton said: "I couldn't see in the ninth round, couldn't see anything really because my eye was shut.
"It was a good experience because in adversity you've just got to learn to control yourself, stay on top of things, so when I couldn't see anything – it's the first time that it's happened in a fight."
Hearn had said Joshua had given Usyk, 34, too much respect and would have to make "fundamental changes" to regain the WBA, WBO and IBF titles he lost in the fight.
The Briton has a rematch clause in his contract with Usyk, and later confirmed he would take it.
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