Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk – Who wins this world heavyweight battle?
On September 25th at the state of the art Tottenham Hotspur FC stadium in North London, unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22KOs) defends his WBA Super, IBF, WBO and IBO belts to the WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk (18-0, 13KOs), live on Sky Sports.
Both men are incredibly talented Olympic champions and have each gone on to win multiple world titles as professionals.
It's a closely-matched contest on paper, so BBN asked their panel of experts who wins and why?
George Groves
Former World Champion
"Technically, Usyk is brilliant. He showed that in unifying the cruiserweight division in great fights and I believe he could be Joshua's toughest test to date.
The only question mark for Usyk is: Is he big enough to compete with AJ? If Usyk keeps a high pace and makes Joshua miss with a lot of shots, that will work to Usyk's advantage as he has probably got a better engine. You don't want Usyk having any confidence.
Joshua is a phenomenal athlete with tremendous punching power and strength but has a tendency to tire out if the pace is uncomfortable for him. If I was Joshua, I would take control of the ring and try to dominate and bully off the front foot. If I was in the Joshua camp, I would say: You want to keep this guy in his box. You don't want Usyk having any confidence, so hit him hard and early.
Usyk will want to be off the back foot for the first couple of rounds, then try to pepper Joshua.
This is the first fight when I wouldn't be surprised if Joshua got beaten."
Kieran Gething
Welsh Area super-lightweight champion
"I’m going against what I hope. I really would like Joshua to win, as I think him vs. Fury is a major event; however, Usyk is so talented and strong, as well as exciting too.
I believe Usyk does the job on points."
Dillian Whyte
WBC Interim Heavyweight Champion
"Usyk will start fast, and Joshua will be a bit cagey because he’s a southpaw, and he’s lighter. Joshua also lacks confidence sometimes in fights where he can get caught up. Hopefully, he goes back to his old self and starts pressing Usyk and being the bigger, stronger guy and starts backing him up and hitting him with stuff.
I think he can get the job done early. Usyk is a good southpaw, but he’s an aggressive southpaw as well. He likes to press the fight, but Joshua has height and reach, and power. If Joshua wants to set the pace, he can get an early knockout. But if he wants to prove who’s the better boxer, I think he’ll struggle.
Joshua will stop him in the first five, six, or seven rounds."
Nick Campbell
Unbeaten Heavyweight
"I think it’s a very hard fight for AJ, but believe he will win. I’m a massive fan of both boxers but feel like AJ is just too big and strong for Usyk to overcome. Usyk is one of the most skilled fighters on the planet but AJ is a supreme athlete and I think that, combined with height, weight, reach and power advantages will get him the stoppage late on."
Matt Marsh
Former British Champion
"It’s going to be a good fight in the early rounds. As much I like Usyk, I think he is a class boxer, but he's just too small for the heavyweight division.
For me, it’s a hard one to call, I think Usyk is a small heavyweight but Joshua is carrying to much muscle.
Early rounds will go to Joshua; if it goes to the later rounds, then Usyk."
Jamie Speight
Three-Weight Southern Area Champion
"I think Usyk gets him either late stoppage or on points.
I have never seen anyone destroy Tony Bellew with a single punch like Usyk did in their fight, as well as having faster feet and a phenomenal boxing IQ. Look at the way he almost effortlessly chinned Bellew, which shows his power because Tony's no mug, combine that with impeccable amateur pedigree and footwork, and Joshua's got a hard night on his hands.
Usyk has seen Joshua's chin be tested so he knows if he can tag him or use his advantage in speed to move him onto a shot, it can be done."
Frank Buglioni
World title contender
"Usyk chinned Wlad in sparring and got sent home. An AJ win will put him back at the top of the division. This is his toughest test yet."
John Conteh MBE
Former WBC Light-Heavyweight World Champion
“He’s a great fighter, Anthony, a fit lad, strong, powerful, experienced, and when he makes a mistake or gets beaten he comes back twice as strong. I think he’s going to win this next fight. It will be a tough fight because Usyk’s an experienced fighter. But at the highest level, I would go with Anthony.”
Ryan Clark
Co-Founder of BuyMyFight
"Whilst I don’t question Usyk’s boxing ability, I also won’t underestimate Joshua’s either. AJ can box off the jab and at range when he needs to, like we saw in Ruiz 2, but we will always have that lingering doubt that, at any time, he can get caught with a banger and it’ll be game over.
It will be a tense fight, with both boxers being cautious to pick their shots until one of them becomes more confident. Over time, I think AJ will feel more comfortable having the size and reach advantage and for that reason I’d have to say AJ by KO round nine as my ‘final answer’, but I also wouldn’t be surprised at an upset."
Marko Milun
2019 European Games Bronze Medallist
"I saw in camp that AJ is really smart and he does the right things and I think he'll win this fight. Usyk is also smart but I think AJ has better qualities; he’s bigger, stronger and can punch harder. He has worked hard for this and I think he’ll beat him. AJ will be at home, the crowd will be behind him and my prediction is AJ will win comfortably. But I will tell you that this will be a smart fight, not a war."
Evgenios Lazaridis
Former German International Heavyweight Champion
"This fight, of course, will be the toughest of Joshua's career because he has never met such a good and technical boxer in his career before, it is a new challenge for him. I think that for Usyk Joshua’s size will not be a problem, because he is not a small heavyweight. My prediction is a 50/50 fight. Usyk has every chance to win. I advise fans not to miss this great fight, because this fight will be the most spectacular battle as two Olympic and world champions meet."
Jack Hughes
Southern Area title contender
"I think AJ will win this one.
Not because I think in anyway shape or form that he’s better than Usyk, just because I think he will be too big and to strong for him. Size does matter and I think it will show.
Usyk does have the skills and the brain to win the fight but as I said size will be the difference and I think AJ will just smother him and break him down so can see a UD for AJ or maybe even a late stoppage."
Daniel Mendes
Former Southern Area Cruiserweight Champion
"I was asked about Usyk becoming a heavyweight over a year ago and I said when he comes up against the bigger heavyweights he will struggle.
Following this he took on Chisora who at times had Usyk looking vulnerable.
AJ is a taller heavyweight, more athletic and at this stage of his career is much more of a threat compare to Chisora, I pick AJ to win by stoppage."
Mick Kane
Boxing & MMA Writer
"This is undoubtedly Usyk's biggest test to date, fighting a bona fide heavyweight champion. Can he handle the explosive power Joshua has? There is no doubting Usyk is a quality boxer but I just feel Joshua's experience of heavyweight title fights will show as he defends his belts. Joshua seems to have regained his confidence after his defeat to Ruiz Jr and I think he will prove too strong for Usyk."
Arijan Goricki
Croatian Featherweight Prospect
"My thoughts are that Usyk is too small for Joshua.
I think that Usyk will, from the start, be the more active fighter but then get tired in mid-rounds because of the clinching.
Joshua by TKO in round nine."
Ben Davies
Daily Mirror Boxing & MMA Writer
"Joshua really needs a victory to set up any kind of opportunity at Fury.
So I think, although Usyk technically is a top level fighter, I believe Joshua’s size and power will amount in a stoppage in the middle rounds.
But this will be a tough test nonetheless, and if he doesn’t get the stoppage by about round eight, it could get messy for AJ.
So I’ll go Joshua with a seventh round stoppage victory."
Steve Wood
VIP Promotions
"Im going for an eighth-round stoppage for AJ, I think Usyk may be slippery for the early rounds and may even pick up a lead, but as the fight slows down I think the natural physical strength and power will tell."
Ben Day
Former Southern Area Champion
"I’m struggling with this one but if Usyk can dance, move and feint for 12 rounds then he can do this. Big ask, but he’s skilful – Usyk win."
Tim Rickson
BBN Editor
"Usyk is unquestionably one of the greatest cruiserweights of all-time. His path to winning the WBSS was not an easy one but he defeated formidable opponents, a couple of them unbeaten in over 20 fights each, and made history by being the first 200-pounder to hold all four world titles at once.
Since moving up to heavyweight he hasn't looked as dominant, which is understandable being a little bit smaller for the weight. People are inevitably questioning whether he can take a heavyweight shot or not, but in the amateurs he fought big hitters like Joe Joyce and overcame them. You can argue that the amateurs is different, but that fight with Joyce was in the World Boxing Series which is as close to pro boxing as you can get. Chisora is a heavyweight beast and Usyk took whatever he had to offer. Tony Bellew came into their contest off the back off four straight KOs, two of those against former heavyweight world champion David Haye; Murat Gassiev and Mairis Breidis are both respectable punchers too, so I'm not as concerned for Usyk's chin myself.
AJ does possess explosive power, his speed is what makes his opponent's go down. However, the power in those shots do not often ice anyone out cold, so if Usyk does get surprised by a blisteringly fast right-hander, I believe that he will get back to his feet again and survive whatever storm follows due to his extensive experience behind him.
Joshua being the bigger man, the more natural heavyweight, normally weighing above 240lbs for fights; it would be sensible to use the 30-35lbs weight advantage and three-four inches in height to dominate and bully the smaller opponent by clinching, holding, leaning whenever he can to zap his energy. That's not really Joshua's style but it would be a sensible idea to do that whenever there's an opportunity.
I find it really hard to call, but what I really believe will happen more than any other outcome is that the fight goes to points and it's razor-thin, but AJ will naturally get the nod as the home fighter and defending champion. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends in a draw either."
Dan Smith
BBN Writer
"Despite the two opening rounds of belligerent menace that Derek Chisora inflicted upon Oleksandr Usyk back in October last year, the former unified cruiserweight champion was not rattled, overwhelmed, nor buffaloed by the 18-stoned heavyweight slugger. Instead, the Ukrainian boxed and moved, while neatly and astutely avoiding the gluts of beefy blows that teemed from overhead.
From the third until the final bell, Usyk banged shots and skipped away from Del like a seasoned matador tormenting and breaking-down a bull. With a points victory in the bag – the night, and a mandatory position to Anthony Joshua’s titles belonged to ‘The Cat’.
I am no further convinced or certain whether AJ wins by knockout or becomes the knockee beneath the rescinded punishment of the savvy pugilist’s left hand. However, whilst I do not believe Chisora beats Joshua, I am firm that Usyk will prove to be more of nuisance and hinderance to AJ in comparison to ‘Del Boy’s’ encounter with the man from Shypyntsi at Wembley in 2020."
Twitter Poll Results
Joshua on points: 13.8%
Joshua by KO: 44.8%
Usyk on points: 24.1%
Usyk by KO: 17.2%
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