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Can Usyk beat Joshua in a Rematch?

#boxing #joshua #usyk

Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua are two of the greatest heavyweight boxers and two of the biggest names in the entire boxing world. Usyk defeated Joshua a year ago in a dominant manner in the homeland of the Brit — the whole world was bemused by this barnburner. He showed his skills, pace, precision, footwork, and dictated his game from the outset, in light of this, Joshua was almost knocked down in the last round, but the ring bell saved him. 

Usyk came in strong and beat AJ on his turf even turning a blind eye on his significant height&weight disadvantage. The whole world was shocked and agog to see the new undefeated and undisputed champion of the world. The top-class Ukrainian took heavyweight belts home to Ukraine and this raised up a lot of questions. Was it a fluke? Wasn’t Joshua in his element? Why was he so inert and couldn’t pull himself together? 

There’s no exact rematch date yet, however, it is expected that the second fight between Usyk and Joshua will be held this spring, according to Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.

Let’s remind that the Ukrainian boxer sensationally defeated the Brit in September 2021 by a unanimous decision of the judges. 

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Usyk’s keys to victory

Oleksandr Usyk is more well-rounded, battle-tested, and mentally prepared for the rematch. He’s way more active on feet, his timing is impeccable, and he knows how to cut corners and pulverize his opponents with this picture-perfect gameplan. He needs to be aggressive and dictate the pace of the fight. 

Usyk’s main advantages over his opponent are:

  • Footwork.
  • Timing.
  • Boxing IQ.
  • Precision.

Usyk needs to weather the storm, namely the first 4 rounds, and then he will wear down his opponent. 

Joshua’s keys to victory

Anthony Joshua needs to be physically and mentally prepared for a 12-round war. The mental aspect is even more crucial in this fight, Joshua will have to change his game plan, he knows that. But, as he showed in his rematch with Ruiz, he is more than capable of changing and evolving as a fighter. When Joshua is hungry and in the ready-to-kill mode, he is in a game of his own. The Brit just needs to be more focused and relaxed. While knowing that he has a chip on his shoulder, AJ will show the best version of himself.

Summary

It’s a matter of common knowledge that AJ is a better rematch fighter and he is a physical freak of nature, but more likely than not Usyk will be kryptonite for the Brit.

In the two fights since the loss to Ruiz, we have not seen the former, confident champion. And, if it was enough to win the rematch against slow-paced Ruiz, then cautious academic boxing against a much more skilled boxer would end in a fiasco nine times out of ten.

FAQ

When will be the anticipated rematch?

There’s no specified date yet, however, Joshua’s promoter is setting his eyes on April or May.

Who will be the favorite of the upcoming fight?

Usyk is a clear favorite according to the vast majority of bookmakers. You can visit  https://winnercivi.com/ and earn a pretty penny if you have a knack for betting.

How many rounds might be in the second fight?

There’s no sure-fire answer to this question. Both fighters are skilled to the bone and will fight like warriors. So, there might be a 12-round war.

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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