A quick look at Joshua vs Usyk
On the 25th of September 2021 Anthony Joshua will put his world heavyweight titles on the line against Oleksandr Usyk. It may not be the meeting Joshua or boxing fans in the United Kingdom were hoping for as a potential fight against Tyson Fury fell through. However, it will give the fans another opportunity to cheer on the heavyweight champion and the fight will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in London.
Olympic talent now fighting on the world stage
Both men have won Olympic gold medals, but it is Joshua who must come into this fight as the favourite, especially as he will have 60,000 fans cheering him on inside the stadium. Joshua cannot afford to let the disappointment of missing out on a meeting with Fury distract him from this fight. The ruling in the United States that Fury must fight Deontay Wilder again brought an abrupt halt to the talk and build-up of Joshua vs Fury.
Joshua will be returning to the ring for the first time since December, when he defeated Kubrat Pulev via a ninth-round knockout to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO titles. That result means Joshua holds a 24-1 record, with 22 of the 24 victories coming by way of knockout. That fight was in-front of only 1,000 fans and Joshua will be delighted to have the opportunity to put on a show for 60,000 people inside the impressive Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Following the announcement of the fight against Usyk, Joshua said, “I put it all on the line again and it’s time to defend my crown. We are two Olympic gold medallists who have fought our way to the top and never avoided challenges,” before adding, “The stadium is exceptional, the atmosphere will be electric, I’m honoured to be the first person to fight in such an awe-inspiring venue. The stage is set, and I am ready to handle business.”
A chance for the winner to hold 3 of the 4 belts
Joshua is clearly confident about his chances and that is backed up in the betting. The British boxer is the clear favourite with the bookmakers, including Bet365 and Ladbrokes and if you would like to select an online bookmaker for your boxing betting, you will find more on this list. In addition to the choice of bookmakers, there are plenty of bonuses and promotions to claim when placing a bet on this fight.
Joshua won his Olympic gold medal in the super-heavyweight division and while he was tasting success in London, Usyk was doing the same, all be it in the heavyweight competition. The Ukrainian did not stop there and went on to claim all four world titles in the cruiserweight division and comes into this contest defending a 100% record at the professional level. Usyk has won 13 of his 19 fights inside the distance, so he is fully capable of stopping his opponents early but there are some questions marks over his performance at this weight.
Only twice has Usyk fought in this division and there must be doubts over his ability to absorb the power of Joshua and offer enough in his own punching to trouble the defending champion. Therefore, there is a good possibility Joshua could end this fight early and win by knockout. There is no doubt Usyk is a top operator in the cruiserweight division but having to bulk up to try and go toe-to-toe with a bigger man comes with danger. There are weight divisions in boxing for a reason and this fight may clearly spell out those reasons for those watching on. It would be a shock if Usyk was to last the fight, let alone win the contest.