In September last year, Usyk stopped Joshua in front of a packed Wembley stadium, rocking the former Heavyweight champion with a series of well-calculated blows.
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Boxing promoter thinks Anthony Joshua will knockout Oleksandr Usyk
Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn believes former WBO Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will reclaim his lost belts with a stunning knockout of Oleksandr Usyk.
Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua will knockout Oleksandr Usyk (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images).
Joshua did well to last till the final bell because it looked like his Ukrainian opponent had the better of him in most rounds. Unsurprisingly, at the end of the fight, Usyk won via unanimous decision, but the brawl was not remotely a close one.
Usyk stripped Joshua of the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.
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Speaking after the fight, Hearn admitted that Joshua was well beaten and that Usyk deserved to win, but he did admit, that the defeat would only spur his client to do better.
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“The better man won, Hearn started, “Usyk was the deserved winner and Joshua has got to make changes in the rematch because if that happens again, of course, he'll get beat. He's got to impose himself early.
Joshua struggled for the better part of his fights against Usyk in September
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A few weeks after the loss, Joshua and his team triggered the rematch clause in the fight contract, and fans have been looking forward to the second instalment of the bout ever since.
Speaking on an Instagram live video, Hearn, who answered boxing-related topics ranging from Deontay Wilder’s next fight to Canelo Alvarez’s stunning loss, made a stunning prediction.
The promoter made it clear that not only does his client need to beat Usyk, but the victory is key for his morale as he looks to revive his career. As recently as 2019, Joshua had one of the most intimidating records in the sport, winning 22 of his 22 bouts up till then.
Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn
Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images
After a close-fought victory over Alexander Povetkin, Joshua has since gone on to win only three of his next five fights.
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“I rate [Oleksandr] Usyk, but I’m telling you, I believe in Anthony Joshua, and I believe he’s going to put this right in the rematch, I really do. I’m telling you now, this is my prediction, AJ KOs Usyk inside six rounds”, Hearn said.
It is a very bold assumption considering that Usyk dominated Joshua in their first fight and since their Wembley bout has since gone on to play a role in the Ukrainian resistance against an unwavering Russian offensive.
Usyk (2nd from right) returned to defend Ukraine from Russian Invaders in February
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Usyk vs Joshua 2
The second meeting of the Heavyweight fighters has kept tongues wagging for the better part of the last six months. The fight was initially scheduled for a mid-July date in Saudi Arabia but has been pushed back by two weeks to allow time for more promotions.
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Joshua would be looking to reclaim his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.
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