Sliding helplessly over the ropes, Anthony Joshua greeted the ultimate bell _ and what he knew was the top of his second reign as world heavyweight champion _ with a smile.
Alexander Usyk knew this too, getting down on his knees and searching up on the sky.
In his third struggle since stepping down from the cruiserweight division, Usyk delivered a clinch in motion and fast punching to say a unanimous factors victory over Joshua in entrance of 66,267 surprised followers inside London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
Usik turned the third man, after Evander Holyfield and David Hay, to win the world title in cruiserweight after which heavyweight. Six years after Vladimir Klitschko’s lengthy heavyweight reign ended, Ukraine has one other champion in boxing’s marquee division.
“The fight went exactly as I expected it to go,” Usyak stated via a translator. “There were moments when Anthony pushed me hard but nothing special.”
Oleksandr Usik celebrates successful his struggle towards Anthony Joshua (Source: Reuters)
After the judges battled 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 in favor of 34-year-old Usik, Joshua _ sporting a closed proper eye _ went into Usyk’s nook and congratulated the Ukrainian crew.
Dominated by a smaller, lighter and far quicker opponent, Joshua misplaced his WBA, WBO and IBF titles for the second time _ greater than two years after shedding to Andy Ruiz Jr. in New York, which he promptly avenged in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua may have the possibility to do the identical factor _ there’s a rematch clause within the take care of Usik _ to maintain his final aim alive: to change into the undisputed champion. The British public, who adopted Joshua’s journey from Olympic champion to world champion, was anticipating an all-British struggle towards WBC champion Tyson Fury to unify the 4 belts.
Although it appears fictional now. Usyk was the extra assured fighter at relaxation, his reflexes gasping from the pro-Joshua crowd and his lightning-fast punches participating his left hand repeatedly.
Joshua didn’t see the punches coming, as within the third spherical when the Briton was swung straight to the left earlier than staggering after the left hook flush to the jaw.
Like the ninth, when one other one from Usik caught Joshua, who nodded to the challenger as quickly because the bell rang.
And an particularly sensational remaining spherical when the disparity between the fighters was at its best as Usik unleashed a flurry of punches from his left and proper, which noticed Joshua stagger backwards onto the ropes. Actually, he had survived the bell.
From the ninth spherical, Joshua couldn’t see along with his proper eye.
“I had no intention of getting him out because my corner pushed me not to do it,” Usik stated. “In the beginning, I hit him and tried to get him out but my trainer said, ‘Just stop and do your thing.'”
Usyk stepped as much as heavyweight in 2019 after unifying all cruiserweight belts, and now has 19 straight victories as knowledgeable.
Oleksandr Usik celebrates successful his struggle towards Anthony Joshua (Source: Reuters)
His power degree was outstanding, as was proven within the remaining spherical after which after the outcomes have been introduced Usik _ a freak _ entertained the group with an acrobatic dance contained in the ring.
Joshua fell for the second lack of his 25-fight professional profession, this time to a person who chased him _just a day after _ as Olympic champion on the 2012 London Games. Her profession is once more at a crossroads.
“I’m not going home tonight crying about it,” stated Joshua. “Because it’s war. I can’t be shy. He’s wasting time.”
And there will probably be a match once more.
“Oh, 100% … 110%,” stated Joshua.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, stated it could most likely occur in February or March, and ideally within the UK.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
