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| Image: Sports Manor |
All is now set for the rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk and Nigerian-born British boxer Anthony Joshua. The fight will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, tomorrow, Saturday, August 20.
See Anthony Joshua return to the ring in an attempt to reclaim his titles from the Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk. The match has been acclaimed as one of the most appealing rematches of the last decade. The fight is so vital that either way, it would define Joshua’s legacy in boxing. A loss could see him fade out of boxing, while a win would project him to rank with boxing greats.
In September last year, AJ lost the first fight against the Ukrainian boxer in a shocking decision at Tottenham Stadium. Usyk faced him then, being a highly technical, swift, and agile fighter who came from an impressive run as a Light Heavyweight to upset AJ.
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| Image: The Sun |
The bout is a world Heavyweight title fight for the AMB, IBF, and OMB belts and will happen in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this Saturday, August 20. Joshua is poised to take back all his belts and has kept mute, waiting for tomorrow to speak with his fists on the ring. This will make it the second time he has to fight to collect his belts back. Recall that he had lost them a couple of years ago to Mexican Andy Ruiz. However, he defeated Ruiz in the rematch to get back his belts. If he wins tomorrow, that will make it the second time losing and regaining his belts.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Joshua said, “I wanted to overcome my opponent, whether it’s Usyk or anybody else, that was the mentality. I want to beat my opponent and crush him come Saturday.”
AJ has to draw his inner warrior and adjust where necessary to overcome this new challenge, especially with the skills he learned after overcoming Ruiz during his 2019 rematch. It took him 6 months to recover those belts, but the dominance was unquestionable against the Mexican.
“I was focusing on different aspects of my career such as having a better hab, punch more, and getting punched less, for example. You need to focus on your aggression, and I don’t do that at the end of the day. My competitive spirit can overcome any obstacle,” Joshua added.
The Nigerian-born British boxer is convinced he is the author of his own film and believes he can change the narrative on Saturday. Promoter Eddie Hearn also is optimistic that AJ will win the fight.
“The pressure is gone, I know he must win, but he is on the losing side now, and people don’t expect him to win. He’s had to carry British boxing on his shoulders for years, and that pressure got to him,” said Hearn.
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| Image: The Sun |
What They Said
Looking forward to the fight, there has been intense preparation from both fighters, and it seems AJ is having the lion share of the pressure. However, both boxers have been talking tough, and here are what they said:
Anthony Joshua
“It’s hard to say from a head-to-head who’s going to win a championship fight, so I don’t tend to look into head-to-heads so deeply, but for some, they could think that’s a 1-0 victory. That’s down to opinion anyway. Shout out to everyone in Saudi Arabia as well! It is going to be my second time there; first time was lit, and it is going to be even better this time for sure.
“In terms of old AJ, same old G, I’m just doing what I’m doing. Grafting away. It is a rough and tough sport. Fighting these lefties is a nightmare! And I cannot make the same mistake twice. I am hungry and desperate, but at the end of the day, how I perform will speak.”
Oleksandr Usyk
“I am very happy to get the opportunity to fight in Saudi Arabia and help open new horizons for the sport of boxing. I love to travel around the world and fight in places for the first time. I am not fighting for money or any recognition. I am just doing my job now and will continue fighting until my heart keeps beating. I am not expecting anything from Anthony Joshua, but I know that he will be different, but so will I.”
How to Watch the fight
The Joshua vs. Usyk rematch is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. UK time, which is midnight in Saudi Arabia and 10 p.m. in Nigeria.
Sadly, DSTV, GOTV, and STARTIMES might not air the fight, but you can catch the action online on some streaming platforms like DAZN (a global multi-sport streaming service accessed through paid subscription) or others like Facebook, YouTube, etc.
Here we go! https://t.co/ZQJfGjVe6t
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) August 19, 2022
“I AM FEEL” @Usykaa just casually gatecrashing an @EddieHearn interview 😬#Usyk #OleksandrUsyk #EddieHearn #UsykJoshua2 pic.twitter.com/VNrNkh6oY6
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) August 19, 2022
Source: Marca.com, naijmobile.com
#Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk
#Anthony Joshua
#UsykJoshua2
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