Oleksandr Usyk was an underrated champion in the cruiserweight division when he embarked on the near impossible mission of adding more pounds and stepping up to a higher weight class. His goal? To challenge the classier and more popular world champion in the heavyweight division.
There were doubters, yes, but the 6’3” Ukrainian boxer proved them all wrong when he pummeled and punished the reigning 6’5” WBA (Super)/WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to win all titles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on September 26, 2021.
Usyk stalked his British opponent with more effective blows to the head and body – enough to rattle the champion and earn the nod of the judges – ultimately snatching Joshua’s titles by unanimous decision.
Deeply hurt and humiliated, Joshua immediately invoked his right to a rematch, a clause written into the Usyk vs Joshua I bout by promoter Eddie Hearn. And the sequel could have happened earlier except that unfolding history intervened with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Usyk, together with three other Ukrainian boxing greats – former three-division titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko and retired former champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitscho – dutifully enlisted in the Ukrainian army to help in their country’s territorial defense.
But just recently, with the war still raging, Usyk sought and was granted permission by Ukrainian military officials to temporarily shed his military uniform so he could meet Joshua’s challenge on August 20th. Dubbed “The Rage on the Red Sea,” the battle is set at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. At stake are all the titles that Usyk snatched from the erstwhile world champion.
The former undisputed title-holder in four of five world governing bodies of boxing badly needs to win over Usyk to regain his place at the top of the boxing world. But as of this writing, most online bookmakers, including Bwin, have installed Usyk as the favorite with 1.57 odds, and Joshua priced at the low end at 2.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: August 16th, 10:00 P.M. (EST)
Desperate to reclaim his belts, Joshua has sacked his long-time trainer Rob McCracken and hired seasoned coach Robert Garcia to call the shots for his preparation for the grudge match against Usyk.
Joshua’s precarious predicament is similar to a situation he was in not too long ago. He had been undefeated in 20 matches and the reigning world heavyweight champion in four major governing bodies of the sport when he was stopped by Andy Ruiz on June 1, 2019 and lost all his titles before a capacity crowd at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
In six months, however, Joshua bounced back from that unsettling defeat by beating Ruiz in a rematch at the Diriyah Arena, also in Saudi Arabia.
Will Joshua be able to stage a similar comeback against the newest sensation in the heavyweight division?
For sure, Joshua needs to do more against Usyk, who displayed more stamina, speed, aggressiveness, and a repertoire of combinations to win the contest last year.
The Ukrainian volunteer soldier appears to be more motivated now to raise his country’s flag in victory, if not yet on home ground, at least on top of a boxing ring. He vows to return to Ukraine soon after the ring battle to rejoin the army.
On the other hand, Joshua – taller, bulkier, and with a longer reach – will be seeking redemption when he finally crosses paths again with Usyk. After which, the British slugger is looking to entice WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury out of retirement for a potentially lucrative “unification” title match.
