On the night of Sunday, August 21, at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), a heavyweight rematch for five championship belts took place - WBA, IBF, WBO, less prestigious IBO, as well as The Ring magazine - between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (20 wins, 13 of them by knockout) and Briton Anthony Joshua (24 wins, 22 of them by knockout, 3 losses). Like the first duel of Olympic champions last September in London, the duel ended with the victory of the Ukrainian champion. To the delight of not only millions of Ukrainians, but 10 soldiers of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, who, together with the boxer’s wife Kateryna, supported Usyk in the stands.
Usyk went to the fight, attended by such boxing legends as Evander Holyfield, Derek Chisora and Vasily Lomachenko, who left the USA for a couple of days, where he is preparing for the next fight, Usyk came out to Vasyl Zhadan’s song “Brothers”.
Joshua, who changed his gloves for good luck (instead of Rival, like Usyk had - Grant), spent perhaps two-thirds of the fight more actively. Yes, he missed from Usyk, but he also caused damage to the Ukrainian. The readiness of the British was amazing. Although Anthony’s low blows did not paint.
But in the championship rounds (10-12th), Usyk was much more accurate. The fate of the belts was in the hands of the judges (Ukrainian, British and American), who awarded the victory to the Ukrainian boxer by a split decision - 113:115, 115:113, 116:112. 20 victories and not a single defeat! Bravo, Alexander!
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By the way, the prize fund of the fight, which is 80 million dollars, the boxers will distribute equally. So agreed in advance.
Now, Usyk is only missing the WBC belt, owned by Briton Tyson Fury, who announced his retirement, to the title of absolute world heavyweight champion. Will he return on this occasion?
By the way, this is what Usyk’s dressing room looked like before the fight from Joshua.
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Earlier, FACTS reported that Ukrainian boxer Daniel Lapin won the fight on the undercard of the Usyk-Joshua fight.
Photo Twitter Matchroom Boxing, DAZN Boxing, USYK 17
Source: Fakty
