“You haven't seen the best Usyk yet!
“, Already promises the new heavyweight boss.
From his 3rd heavyweight fight, after dominating the light heavyweight category until 2019, the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk became world champion on Saturday night, beating the WBA, WBO and IBF world champion quite clearly on points. heavyweight Anthony Joshua.
“The fight went exactly as I expected.
Sometimes, he pushed me, but never too hard, ”assured Usyk after the match at the microphone of Sky Sport.
My goal was not to knock him out.
At first I was hitting hard to try and knock him out, but my trainer told me to stop and just do my job.
"
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Usyk Aleksandr (@usykaa)
Matchroom, the promoter of the two boxers, had made it big, not skimping on the fireworks and other pyrotechnics around Joshua's entrance. Very relaxed before the fight, he had waddled and sang the anthem ordered by one of his main sponsors, encouraging the 60,000 or so spectators in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with arm movements to do even more. noise. Before him, the Ukrainian champion had made his entrance to boos in an outfit reminiscent of a cosmonaut suit, with a reflective visor.
Despite an audience won over to his cause, the Briton was quickly put in difficulty. In the third round, Usyk was the first to try to press his punches by taking advantage of his greater speed of movement and arms which earned him the nickname "Cat", touching Joshua in the face with a hook. left 15 seconds from the bell. It was not until the 5th round to feel the Briton return to his fight and become more active by seeking to vary his strikes and also work on the body. Dominated in the 5th and 6th round, Usyk rebelled in the 7th, pushing back on his support Joshua after a wide left hook 40 seconds from the end of the restart. On the 10th round, both boxers were scarred, Joshua's right eye closing as blood flowed from a cut above the same eye in his opponent.Usyk, more active and more precise accelerated and won the last two times, plunging Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in amazement. He won the fight unanimously by the judges (117-112, 116-112, 115-113).
Oleksandr Usyk new heavyweight world champion 🥊
Ukrainian defeats Anthony Joshua thanks to jury decision 👏
▶ ️ https://t.co/L4zkzmVGk7 pic.twitter.com/eZfJabWjXQ
- CANAL + Boxe (@CanalplusBoxe) September 25, 2021
The British who were already planning a 100% British unification fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury, the WBC champion, who is to face Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas on October 9, will have to wait.
Even though Joshua has a clause for a second fight against Usyk to try to get his belts back, as he did in December 2019, after the first loss of his pro career, against Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019. “J 'have worked so hard for this fight since January, it took me six months, I haven't seen my family for so long, I miss seeing my children growing up and playing, I want to spend time at home ”, evacuates Oleksandr Usyk at the evocation of a new fight against the Briton.
Joshua's record now stands at 24 wins and two losses, as Usyk remains undefeated in 19 fights.