Boxing, sensational in London: Usyk dethrones Joshua, he is the king of the highs

Resounding in London: Anthony Joshua, 31 years old, British, world champion of the WBA, Ibf and Wbo maximums, record 24 wins (22 ko-2 defeats), weight 109 kg, loses from Oleksandr Usyk, 34 years old, Ukrainian, challenger, record 19-0, weight 100 kg. A defeat on points with a unanimous verdict (117-112, 116-112, 115-113) that perhaps no one on the eve could have imagined: Joshua thought of this match almost as a sort of test in view of the real challenge he wanted to engage in the derby against Tyson Fury, the Wbc boss, also in view of a rematch on 9 October against the American Deontay Wilder for the third match). And instead, every plan was skipped thanks to Usyk, who brought the most prestigious title in boxing back to Ukraine six years later: that of the maximums. Usyk had won the light heavyweight title but is now proving to be the strongest. He blows up the bench in the champion’s house. Incredibly. The Briton has a clause in hand that guarantees him a second match.

Atmosphere

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There are 62,000 paying spectators (Matchroom Boxing finally announced the exact figure: 66,267) in the Tottenham stadium, cheering on ringside for the challenger in an all-British atmosphere, very football; cheering is also the Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, the athletics champion Mo Farah, footballers like Declan Rice or actors like Idriss Elba. A great event, never so anticipated. Usyk starts well, immediately very active, dynamic. Only in the second round a right to the body shows the class of a Joshua with slower movements, as if he does not want to immediately take the initiative to let his rival vent, who in fact in the 3rd time staggers with a left to the jaw. The keeper struggles to get into the opponent’s guard, surprised above all by the Ukrainian’s courage to engage in battle. In the heart of the match that flows balanced, the best Joshua is still sought, whose right hand is still used too sparingly. On the sixth, however, Anthony explodes first a straight right and then a tremendous right hook that earned him the recovery. But at 7th the unbeaten Ukrainian throws a jab, a left and a straight right almost in sequence, which make the champion falter, who returns to difficulty and loses the second half. Upon returning to the center of the square, Joshua – so far beaten pro ‘only by David Ruiz in June 2019 – tries to react with his composite pace, also finds an uppercut to the body and wins the second half against an opponent who really he feels no complex. The two were Olympic champions in London 2012 in the maximum and super-maximum (Usyk with Clemente Russo and Joshua against Roberto Cammarelle): the Ukrainian touches and stings the British in the final of the ninth round, confirming a balance that alternates between a recovery and the ‘other. The 10th round sees Joshua more precise and decisive, but he also collects. In the penultimate round it is again Usyk – who had won in London last time against Dereck Chisora ​​- to be appreciated for his resourcefulness and precision in his shots. AJ can’t find the right shot, unlike his rival, who restarts in the last round with a poking left hook. And in the final he puts AJ on the ropes. A perfect Usyk: author of the match of life. The challenger kneels in the center of the ring, awaiting the verdict. Unanimous. He is the champion! And he deserves compliments from Eddie Hearn, AJ’s attorney: “Usyk was great, hat off. Joshua? he just wants to take back the crowns, he wants revenge soon ”. Klitschko embraces the new world champion, the third Ukrainian after the two brothers Wladimir and Vitaly: “He was intelligent, clever, perfect: he brought our title back to his homeland six years later”. The new king of the highs, third to succeed starting from the title in the light highs after Evander Holyfield and David Haye. he says: “This victory means a lot to me, the match went as I wanted and as I thought even if there were moments when Joshua pushed: but I was ready to suffer his blows. Maybe I could have knocked him out, but I was prepared to take the match to a distance and win on points ”. Joshua did not speak after the match, having been taken to the hospital for an eye check. To console the ousted champion is the former king Lennox Lewis: “Learn from this experience but it’s not the end of the course, but you can’t be so indecisive or wait for the 8th round. Learn from this defeat and improve ”.

Too bad Prodan

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In the world evening at the Tottenham stadium there was also the international Ibf welterweight title between the holder Maxim Prodan, Ukrainian from Italy (19) and the Albanian Florian Marku (8) on 10 rounds. A very questionable verdict on points, for split decision, interrupts Prodan’s unbeaten after a balanced match, in which the best things in the ring had been expressed by Prodan as in the 6th round: the Albanian southpaw Florian Marku (9-0) wins at the points with this verdict (99-91, 96-94 and 97-93 by the others) for the challenger.