AJ has more success in the early rounds fighting a more aggressive fight this time round (maybe even drops Usyk). Usyk as the rounds go on works him out, AJ tires and Usyk will take over. Undecided if Usyk stops AJ late or a points win for Usyk.
AJ is already a philosopher though. 'Sometimes it's rough, sometimes it's tough' 'I do my ABCs which leads to KO' 'Stay hungry, stay humble' 'I'm not a role model, I'm a real model' He's known as The Watford Yoda for a reason.
I didn’t hear anything official about Tyrone Spong being out of the fight, but on Sherdog someone posted that Andrew Tabiti is now taking on James ‘the Beast’ Wilson instead of Spong: “Not sure if it has been said here, but Tabiti is no longer fighting Spong, he will be taking on James "the Beast" Wilson in a battle of beasts” His source is Andres Cortes (a 17-0 boxer who used to be signed with Mayweather Promotions aswell, but now is with TopRank) Andres Cortes is friends with Andrew Tabiti This content is protected
Dropping in to reiterate the 'Usyk by T/KO' call I've posted in other threads, along with some thoughts on the matter of what it would require and what it would mean for Joshua to defy that forecast;
This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected USYK PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO HIS VICTORY OVER ANTHONY JOSHUA, THE AFTERMATH AND HOW HE’S FEELING AHEAD OF THE REMATCH Parimatch: So Oleksandr, this will be your first fight in the Middle East. How excited are you to debut in front of a new crowd and defend your titles? Usyk: I’m comfortable boxing in front of a new crowd and in new places. I go out and do my work. I work a lot in the gym, and I have boxed for the first time somewhere new on many occasions. For me, it makes no difference where I box, whether it is the first or second time in a particular place. I like to box in new places. Parimatch: The first fight enabled you to truly establish yourself as one of the world’s best heavyweights. How good did it feel to defeat Anthony Joshua and lift those belts in front of a huge crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium? Usyk: The fight with Anthony Joshua showed that I can box in a heavyweight division and win, and I will continue in the same spirit. I will box, I will win, and I will showcase quality boxing. Parimatch: You were incredible in your first fight against Joshua. How great did it feel to be announced as the winner after such a dominant performance? Usyk: To experience what I went through, you need to enter the ring at least once or do something very challenging. It meant great joy for the team and great gratitude to the Lord for his strength, which he gives me every day. It was a great joy for those people who celebrate with me. These feelings cannot be expressed in words because they must be felt. You feel what you do. You do a lot of work in the gym and a lot of work in life. And you enjoy the fact that, thank God, everything turns out well. Parimatch: Did Anthony Joshua surprise you at all in the first fight? Usyk: Of course. He is a strong guy and a strong boxer, and he cannot be written off in any way. In the rematch, he will be different. He will prepare differently. I will do that too. Parimatch: Had the 12th round gone on for a few more seconds, it looked like you would have knocked Joshua out. How close did you feel you were to doing it? Usyk: Perhaps if there were another 30 seconds or another minute in the 12th round, Anthony would have been knocked down. But I don’t think about it anymore because it’s just guessing. It happened as it happened. I boxed 12 rounds and I won. Parimatch: You won so many plaudits after the first fight, particularly in the UK. What was the initial aftermath with the media like? Usyk: I thank people for their praise but I try not to pay too much attention to it. I thank God for everything. I continue to work, work hard, get up in the morning, run, swim, cycle and work, work and work again. Parimatch: What have you learned about Joshua from your first encounter and how will that help you overcome him for a second time? Usyk: I have learned a lot. The coach watched the match many times and still watches it now. We will work out the combinations that we will use in our rematch. I cannot tell you all the secrets we are working on, but the coach and I saw a lot. Parimatch: How confident are you that you can make it two wins from two against Joshua? Usyk: I am confident in what I am doing and that I do my job to the fullest. But to be 100% sure about something like that? I don’t know. But I know what I do. I work, I box, and victory is given by the Lord. USYK TALKS TYSON FURY, CANELO, HIS MOVE UP TO THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION & EXHIBITION EVENTS Parimatch: Looking at your next fight beyond your rematch with Joshua, is a potential unification bout with Tyson Fury on your radar? Usyk: Yes, when the rematch is over, I think Tyson Fury won’t want to miss an opportunity to unite all of the belts. I think it is possible. God granted that it will be so. Parimatch: You’ve made an incredible impact in the heavyweight division, but would you be willing to return to cruiserweight to take on Canelo Alvarez? Usyk: To fight Canelo Alvarez, I would have to lose 12kg. It will be a freak fight. I think firstly I need to do what I have in mind in the heavyweight division, and then maybe arrange such a fight. But the fight with Canelo Alvarez potentially involves big money, so I’m not ruling out the possibility that it will happen. Parimatch: What inspired you to make the decision to move up into the heavyweight division? Usyk: I think that every boxer would like to box in a heavyweight division. Whoever has the opportunity will take it, and whoever does not will dream of it. When I was boxing at cruiserweight, I told myself that when I won all four belts in the division, I would move up to heavyweight. I kept my word and moved to heavyweight. Parimatch: We’re seeing more exhibition events across combat sports, the latest being Tyson Fury potentially taking on UFC Champion Francis Ngannou. Is there anyone from the world of MMA you’d like to get in the ring with, or even the octagon? Usyk: Yes, there are many unifying matches now. Some like it, some don’t. I look at it as being quite normal because this way we can enjoy several sports at the same time. It lets children think about which sport they prefer USYK REVEALS HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN BOXING, FAVOURITE FIGHTERS & LIFE IF HE WASN’T A BOXER Parimatch: What has been your greatest achievement in your boxing career, and where would a second win over Anthony Joshua rank amongst those accomplishments? Usyk: I consider Olympic gold in amateurs to be the highest achievement in my career. There is nothing higher for me at the moment, including my belts in cruiserweight or those I have in heavyweight. Maybe if I combine the belts in a heavyweight and get all four I will think about which is higher: Olympic gold or all four heavyweights? Parimatch: When you are not in the ring yourself, who is your favourite fighter to watch? Usyk: I like watching Vasiliy Lomachenko, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but there are many boxers who are interesting to watch. In general, I don’t watch boxing fanatically, but I watch some fights with great enthusiasm. Parimatch: Who do you think are the next top prospects ready to make an impact in heavyweight boxing? Usyk: I can’t answer now. I don’t watch the young guys much. It can happen very quickly. A young guy will appear and in two to three years will become a heavyweight after our era is already over. Parimatch: Who has been your toughest opponent throughout your boxing career? Usyk: I am my own strongest opponent because I am constantly challenging myself. In my position, you have to push yourself to wake up in the morning and do something that will have good rewards later on. Parimatch: If you never made it as a professional boxer, which sport would you have loved to have been involved in? Usyk: I like football. I would be happy to play it professionally, play for an English club and be in the Ukrainian national team. https://www.parimatch.co.uk/blog/sp...-oleksandr-usyk-ahead-of-his-huge-aj-rematch/
