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sageglobalresponse · 1 year ago

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What to know about Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight

Anthony Joshua, the former world heavyweight champion who lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021, will face Francis Ngannou in a 10-round heavyweight clash called ‘Knockout Chaos’.

Joshua, a former unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion, has won his last three fights against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin. He aims to extend it to four straight wins when he faces Ngannou in his second boxing game.

Ngannou held the title of UFC heavyweight champion before he exited the promotion to pursue his boxing career, amassing a record of 17 wins and three losses in MMA.

Here’s what to know ahead of the fight

Date

The fight is scheduled for Friday, March 8, 2024, and the show starts at 4 p.m. GMT.

Venue

The clash will take place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight is scheduled for a Friday, instead of the usual Saturday night to avoid conflicting with the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on March 9.

Where to watch

The bout will be live on different pay-per-view channels.

Boxing records

Joshua: Total fights: 3; Record: 27-3 (24 KOs)

Ngannou: Total fights: 1; Record: 0-1

Is there a title on the line?

There is no title on the line when Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou face off. Joshua lost multiple belts to Usyk and was unable to regain them in their rematch. Similarly, Ngannou was unsuccessful in his attempt to claim Fury’s WBC crown, suffering a defeat against the Briton.

What they are saying

Joshua: “This Friday it’s going to go down, so I can’t wait for the opportunity to show my skills and combat this person who thinks he can knock me out. I believe I can knock him out. Definitely. I would love to knock him out and make a statement.

“I’m just ready for a good fight – someone who’s got two arms and I know where the jabs come from, the hooks, the body shots, the right hand, the right hook – so I can be ready for the shots coming my way.

“He has to be ready for the shots which are coming his way because I’m a man who will be standing in front of him, bringing him a lot of hell and problems as well.”

Ngannou: “I believe if I land on anyone, I will knock them out. The question is how to land? That’s the hardest thing.

“Almost everyone in this division can knock anyone out, but how do you land or carry that power and energy to 10 rounds and still hit someone hard or knock somebody out after all the fatigue? It’s a chess game.

“I didn’t have any experience in boxing but don’t make any mistake. I’ve had a lot of experience in life and a lot of experience fighting. I’ve built my fighting spirit as high as anyone else. I know I can fight.”

#joshua #boxing #anthony joshua called out by francis ngannou after heroic tyson fury bout with ufc icon offering brit ‘ring or octagon’#sage response

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jordandhallu · 2 years ago

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Boxing in Saudi Arabia - The future of the sport or a sportswashing attempt?

Saturday, 28th October saw one of the biggest cross-over sporting events in history take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury stepped into the ring with the former UFC heavyweight champ and record breaking, hardest puncher in the world, Francis Ngannou in a bout that shocked and partially confused boxing fans all over the world. Following a controversial split decision victory for the champion, fans and boxing royalty were quick to voice their opinions on who they thought should have won and how impressed they were of Ngannou. Many had said in the lead up to the fight that it would be an easy night’s work for Tyson and that it would be over quickly, seeing as the Nigerian had never fought anybody in boxing before. Others dismissed the fight altogether, believing that it is a waste of time and money and instead criticised the apparent poor matchmaking.

As the reigning WBC champion, Tyson Fury was expected to defend his title against unified champion, Oleksandr Usyk for an undisputed fight (the first of its kind since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 1999) but instead, opted to give a chance to someone who has never stepped into the ring professionally.

Whilst we’d like to think that Tyson has a big heart who would offer the challenge of beating him to any man that sees fit, unfortunately, the general feeling among the fanbase was that more money was being offered for him to take this fight. Whether Tyson Fury puts money over boxing achievements is a debate that even he would have at times, but it looks likely that he may have received an offer from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that he just couldn’t turn down.

Saudi Arabia is a country that has appeared multiple times within the sporting world in recent years, with sports such as golf and football becoming increasingly popular. Boxing is no different in that it has been pulled into the Kingdom a handful of times already. It started with Anthony Joshua looking to reclaim his heavyweight titles in a rematch against underdog, Andy Ruiz which was billed “Clash on the Dunes”. It followed up with Anthony Joshua in another rematch to win his belts back again against Ukrainian, Oleksandr Usyk and also with huge influencer turned boxers, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury. Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou is just the latest to feature in the Middle East with many expecting to see more massive events being staged there in the near future.

But unfortunately, every boxing event that we’ve seen in Saudi Arabia so far has been overshadowed by the amount of money that is being involved with bringing the sportspeople over to the country. For example, Anthony Joshua reportedly made $75 million for fighting Ruiz in their rematch – the biggest payday Joshua received in his career. His purse was then matched for his rematch against Usyk, also his biggest pay day, also in Saudi Arabia.

To say this is the reason that the fight happened in Saudi Arabia would purely be speculating but it must be difficult for these sportsmen to turn down the offer. For obvious and unfortunate reasons, ‘AJ’ as Joshua is known, couldn’t rematch Usyk in the champions’ home country of Ukraine, but Ruiz certainly could have walked out as world champion in front of his people in Mexico. Instead, his countrymen missed out on seeing the first and only Mexican heavyweight champion in his only fight as heavyweight title holder.

Through the years, it has been favoured for the champion to fight in his home country but with Tyson already defending his title twice in the UK, he isn’t to blame for wanting to explore a different country. What does seem odd though, is why a British heavyweight title fight was being contested in the Middle East instead of Great Britain.

Fabio Wardley faced David Adeleye in a fight for the British title on the undercard of the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou fight. Both men had built a big following on their journey to that fight, and it would have surely made the most sense to stage the event in not only their home country, but the country that the title originates from. Despite what the two fighters would have wanted, it seemed that Queensberry Promotions, the event organisers, preferred to strengthen the undercard instead of allowing those in Great Britain to watch it live. This led to fans believing that the money that Saudi Arabia were offering to put on the fight was greater than the income that would have been made if it was to be set in the UK. Although British fans wanted to see the British title being contested on the same soil it represents, unfortunately, they were outvoted due to financial reasons.

As mentioned before, football is becoming a sport that is growing a lot in the country, with stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr and many more choosing to switch to the Saudi Pro League. Its recent success is potentially going to see them included in a future UEFA Champions League competition, whilst the country of Saudi Arabia looks to host a World Cup in the near future. MMA company, UFC has also staged events in Saudi in recent times whilst Formula 1 introduced a track in the country in 2021. The sudden increase of investment into sports taking place in Saudi Arabia is driving intrigue into fans who wonder if the future of sporting entertainment lies in the Kingdom.

Whilst sporting events in Saudi Arabia so far have largely been a success, there are still concerns on if the future of sport should be held in the country. This is mostly because there are fears that representatives of Saudi are simply using sports to cover up issues that have been publicised heavily in recent times. This process is called ‘Sportswashing’, and it means that a country or organisation is using sports to cover problems within the country and to improve their own reputation.

Just what are the so-called issues that are potential threats to the country’s image?

Saudi Arabia have made no effort in hiding their views on equality in the country. Men are quite simply viewed higher than women in the Kingdom which has caused women to try and flee. Reasons such as: being denied freedom to travel, no freedom to choose marriage partner, employment discrimination, healthcare discrimination and political repression are just some of the setbacks that women face whilst living in Saudi Arabia. As well as women being treated less than a man, sexuality is also a topic that divides opinion. Saudi criminalises same-sex sexual activity between men and between women with sentences including death. Whilst those looking in will have strong opinions about these laws, the narrative is that anyone visiting the country must obey these rules. This brings about the point on if sport should have ever been introduced to the country originally and if it should remain whilst laws stay the same. However, on the other hand, it can be seen as something that people involved should just respect and instead focus on the sports being held there.

In regards to money being the driving power of sport, boxing journalist, Sherry Abbasi of TKO Boxing explained that these problems are similar to those that have been seen before.

“They’re not doing anything dissimilar to things that are happening in other sports or happened throughout history where countries have money, and they can pump it in.

“Vegas, many years ago was built for this same purpose – to be a hub for entertainment and sports”.

He went on to state why the country has a big interest in attracting people to the sporting events in Saudi Arabia.

“They’re trying to tick every box they can to ensure there is a massive push on them being recognised on the world stage.”

Recognition on the world stage, which was his main argument for the country to be putting on these huge spectacles, suggests that more events will happen soon until they get to a position where they can call themselves one of the new homes of boxing, much like how the USA and UK have become. However, a huge factor in these countries becoming successful in hosting boxing fights is that they have had stars in the sport that represent those countries, who have elevated the sport much more than the country could on its own. We are still yet to see a breakout Saudi Arabian star that is going to help push boxing in a way that has been done in the past which could mean more money utilised to bring the top fighters from other countries into their country.

Sherry then explained how boxing fans win in this scenario despite there being surrounding controversy by listing the example of a fight which is highly anticipated by fans.

“Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr, whether it gets made or not in the UK, which I’m sure it will but the argument was, if it doesn’t happen in the UK, they’ll just go and make it in Saudi Arabia. As boxing fans, do we want to see that fight? Yeah.”

He was indeed referring to Conor Benn potentially not being able to fight in the UK due to the positive drugs test last year and iterated that Saudi Arabia would be interested in staging it, thus still giving the fight the fans want.

When asked about the issues that are occurring in Saudi – such as the fight for equality and LGBTQ rights, Sherry was quick to mention how they aren’t the first to face criticism.

“Hopefully, it can break away from these “issues” and the problems that they’ve had.

“But I’d also say other parts of the world that have been hubs for boxing like the UK, they’ve had so many issues politically speaking that maybe don’t get picked up on and that don’t get addressed because the media will never question it because they’re superpowers.”

With women not receiving the same rights and freedom as men, it begs the question, how might the female boxers from around the world view Saudi Arabia as a potential place to compete?

Fellow boxing journalist, Rico (RiKo__Boxing) was quick to suggest that the country would look to promote women despite their own laws and even gave female boxer, Ramla Ali as an example of someone who they have promoted, who also happened to be involved in the first women’s match held in the country.. An interesting point he made was that promotion of great female fighters in boxing could even prompt them to change their view of women in the future by saying, “We can push and excel our women”. He also mentioned how the issue of women fighting in Saudi Arabia will be remembered in the future and suggested that they would be open to change.

“In terms of inclusivity, absolutely I would say that the Saudi’s are trying to include women.

“In several years’ time, we’re not going to be looking at this like the Saudi’s aren’t pushing boxing because of women. No, they’re going to be pushing everything because we’re all humans, we all know that we need to adapt and move forward, and that’s very important, especially to the Saudi’s.”

Some suggest that countries like the UK and USA should play the part in teaching Saudi Arabia that in their reality, everyone should be treated equally and have equal rights but despite agreeing with the principle that everyone should be on the same level, Rico was very firm on his view on trying to change the laws in Saudi Arabia.

“You can’t go to another person’s country and say to them and try and dictate to them your rules when not only are you trying to stage the biggest fights over there but you’re going to their country so abide by their rules.”

He went on to say that if there were to be changes, it would be over a long period of time,

“If you look at the religion aspect of things, it can’t be an overnight thing. It just can’t.”

Sherry shared this opinion by initially stating that he also does not think what is happening in Saudi Arabia is right but by not being hypocritical, things could change in the future.

“Every country has a track record of doing things that other people aren’t happy with or go against what we perceive to be normal, but I think sports should be everywhere.”

Arguments could be made that boxing should have never opened the gates to Saudi Arabia but at the same time, boxing as a sport, promotes everyone being involved and while the Kingdom may not offer that entirely, shutting away a country would be very hypocritical of the fans.

Sherry summed up the problems in not just boxing, but sports in general when saying “profits over people – unfortunately, that’s been the game for a long time.” He suggested that similar issues, in terms of caring more about the revenue than the fans, has been a constant through history and doesn’t look likely to change anytime soon. After all, boxing is a business just as much as it is a sport and those involved (promotional companies, television companies) will continue to look for the highest bidder. This could suggest that big fights will happen more often and so far, from the events that have been held in Saudi Arabia, figures suggest that people are willing to pay and travel to the country to be able to watch these “spectacles” as Rico described them.

Whether Saudi Arabia are guilty of sportswashing or not, what they’re doing is putting the highly anticipated events on which is difficult for boxing fans to turn down. Rico backed up this point whilst also praising how the Kingdom can bring in new viewership by saying,

“It shows that the investment, if done correctly, in boxing, can actually attract the younger people. When money is pumped into boxing like that, and you can see such an amazing spectacle, it’s truly astounding.”

It remains to be seen if, as suggested, the influence of other countries will play a part in opening Saudi Arabia up to the possibilities of instilling the same morals as other countries and it also is not obvious that they are completely willing to change but one thing is for sure, boxing promoters will be lining up to make deals happen with them because of how much they are paying, regardless of what people may feel about the country. Boxing, the business, looks certain to always capitalise financially despite moral or ethical issues.

#boxing #journalism #saudi arabia #sportswashing #tyson fury

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frontproofmedia · 2 years ago

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Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois Fight Preview

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By Sina Latif

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Published: August 25, 2023

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois Fight Preview

Following the failure to finalize the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undisputed super-fight, Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) will be defending his unified heavyweight titles against WBA mandatory challenger and rising heavyweight star, Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday August 26 at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland, during the week of Ukrainian Independence Day.

This fight for the WBA, IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine heavyweight titles airs on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK and ESPN+ in the US.

This will be the first heavyweight title fight of 2023 and, therefore, is one for boxing fans to look forward to in anticipation.

A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Usyk made his professional debut in November 2013. After winning the WBO cruiserweight title in September 2016 with a unanimous decision win against Krzysztof Glowacki, Usyk made a fast climb towards history. In the World Boxing Super Series, Usyk defeated Mairis Briedis via majority decision for the WBC cruiserweight title in January 2018, then beat Murat Gassiev in the final via unanimous decision in July 2018 for the WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine cruiserweight titles to become the undisputed cruiserweight champion.

After moving up to heavyweight in 2019 and having two warm-up fights against Chazz Witherspoon and Dereck Chisora, Usyk dethroned unified champion Anthony Joshua in September 2021.

Against Dubois, Usyk will be making the second defense of his unified crown. The Ukrainian southpaw won the rematch against Joshua and added the Ring Magazine belt to his heavyweight collection in his first defense. In this rematch, Usyk proved he has the minerals and intangibles to match his undoubted pugilistic mastery as he dug deep to overcome a determined Joshua. In the ninth round, Joshua unleashed hell and had Usyk scrambling around the ring as the Ukrainian was dragged into deep waters before Usyk showed his class by coming out in the 10th and taking it to another level, one which Joshua could not keep up with. Usyk turned up the pace and tempo even further, enjoying his own best round of the fight as he detonated a high volume of power punches from all angles.

After turning professional in 2017, Dubois’ self-confidence will have undoubtedly plummeted, with the Brit gaining a sense of invincibility built against men who never had a chance. In November 2020, Dubois had a rude awakening behind closed doors and under Covid restrictions.

Dubois was unbeaten in 15 fights and was coming up against fellow unbeaten Brit Joe Joyce. Dubois had stopped 14 of his 15 previous opponents. Coming up against Joyce proved to be a big mistake, though. Dubois took a knee in round 10 with a badly swollen left eye.

Since that loss, however, Dubois is on a four-fight knockout win streak. Dubois’ June 2022 knockout of Trevor Bryan earned him the lightly regarded WBA Regular title.

Despite being the WBA mandatory challenger, the majority of the boxing fraternity is not giving Dubois anything more than a puncher’s chance against one of the most skillful boxers of the modern era. Dubois seems ill-equipped ahead of Saturday night when he will be sharing the ring with the formidable Usyk.

Dubois believes he has more than a mere puncher’s chance in this fight. Speaking to iFL TV, Dubois said: “People don’t give me enough credit. They just say ‘he’s got a puncher’s chance’ but I’m going to show them all that I can box as well, I can move. I’ve been up in altitude, so I’ve been working on a lot more than just throwing punches, or looking for one lucky shot.”

Dubois is viewed by many fans, media, and analysts alike as one of the brightest young talents in the heavyweight division, one tipped for success due to his thunderous knockout power. However, this may be another classic case of “Levels” in boxing. A bright, young prospect is coming up against a generational great and one of the supreme pound-for-pound fighters of this generation.

This opportunity has come early for Dubois. When you compare the achievements of the two heavyweights on paper, it is hard to think of another sport that would pit two such mismatched competitors together and have the audacity to label it as a world championship contest. In terms of experience, Usyk and Dubois are worlds apart. Usyk is obviously at the world championship level, and Dubois may also reach that level one day, but right now, the gap is too vast, and it is difficult to imagine them competing as equals.

The 6ft5 Dubois will be hoping to join the likes of Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno, David Haye, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua in the list of British heavyweight champions.

It’s a big ask and would be arguably one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history, but upsets do happen. No one would have expected Buster Douglas to defeat Mike Tyson or Leon Spinks to beat Muhammad Ali. The unexpected is what makes boxing such a captivating sport.

There is no getting away from the fact that the gulf in class and talent between Usyk and Dubois would make a Dubois win one of the biggest upsets ever. Dubois’ only chance of success appears to be whether he can use his size, youth, and power to overcome Usyk’s superior technical brilliance, experience, and every other conceivable advantage, and the odds are not in favor of the Brit.

Until very recently, Usyk was viewed as the number one pound-for-pound pugilist in the world. After becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion, the Ukrainian had become a pound-for-pound entrant. He then cemented his greatness with back-to-back wins against Joshua.

Joshua has superior mobility, boxing IQ, pedigree, and experience to Dubois, and Usyk still handily defeated Joshua twice. This does not bode well as far as Dubois’ chances in this matchup.

Of course, styles make fights, but is Dubois’ style the one to dethrone Usyk? Dubois has a traditional jab-right hand, jab-jab right-hand style, which can be effective but is also very predictable for a fighter with the IQ and know-how of Usyk. Dubois does not possess the different rhythms, with a variety of angles and combinations which would trouble Usyk.

Furthermore, Dubois will also have to contend with what is likely to be a very pro-Usyk crowd, in excess of 40,000, in Poland and his first fight with a new coach after replacing trainer Shane McGuigan with Don Charles.

Usyk, always professional and disciplined, does not seem in the mood to be complacent heading into this showdown. Speaking of Dubois on Top Rank Boxing’s YouTube channel, Usyk said: “He’s (Dubois) a good fighter. Young guy. Very motivated, but I respect Daniel and his team.”

Experience is the best teacher. This is all very new to Dubois. As new as this is to Dubois, it is just as old to Usyk. However new it is to Dubois, this alone won’t be enough to stop him from landing a single fight-ending shot, which he is capable of, but it will certainly affect his approach towards landing that shot. Dubois’ uncertainty about how to land that punch may create the kind of doubts in his head as the fight progresses, which would have never been present had the fight happened at the right time.

Dubois cannot be faulted for taking this opportunity to contest for the unified heavyweight titles. In the unpredictable world of boxing, such opportunities are never guaranteed. It cannot be denied that stepping in the ring with Usyk right now will be the deepest waters Dubois will have ever entered.

Will Usyk remind everyone why he has long been regarded as one of the pound-for-pound supremes in boxing, or will we witness one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport? It’s these sorts of questions that make fights like this unmissable.

(Featured Photo: Piotr Duszczyk)

#HF #Oleksandr Usyk #Daniel Dubois #Heavyweight Boxing #Top Rank Boxing

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alexandersharko · 3 years ago

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Well, the mega fight Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2 has finally taken place and we have prepared for you a cut of the highlights of the fight between Usyk and Joshua in slow motion. Let's see how it waslet's see how it was. Don't forget smash the like button and subscribe.

#usyk #joshua vs usyk 2 #joshua vs. usyk rematch #oleksandr usyk #boxing

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lufffystuuf · 6 months ago

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Fury vs. Usyk Trilogy: Contracted if Tyson wins the rematch

Promoter Frank Warren says a trilogy match between Tyson Fury and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been agreed, as long as 'The Gypsy King' wins Saturday night's rematch in Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN. Risking a Mega-fight If Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) wins on Saturday, fans would rather see him move on and face Anthony Joshua or Daniel Dubois than go straight to a trilogy fight with…

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boxingnewsandviews1 · 6 months ago

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Eddie Hearn Brutally Honest On Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 Judging

Promoter Eddie Hearn (promoter of Anthony Joshua) said something on the Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch result no one else has. The result and judging has split opinion so far. Hearn however speaking to The Stomping Ground thought it was a draw: “For me the fight was a draw. I had Fury just edging the fight. 116-112 I don’t see. But three judges saw it that way. There was so many close rounds. I…

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usasportsworld · 2 years ago

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Deontay Wilder beats Anthony Joshua in fight of the year; Shakur Stevenson becomes undisputed

The new year can bring some of the biggest fights boxing can offer, and add more undisputed champions to its rankings — if the stars (meaning, promoters, networks and fighters) align. From Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk for all the heavyweight titles in the men’s side, to a rematch of one of the best fights of the year between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, big fights are there to be made. Of…

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mimelord1 · 3 years ago

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Deontay Wilder Says Fight W/ Joshuas Biggest Fight In The World Not Fury 4

Deontay Wilder Says Fight W/ Joshua’s ‘Biggest Fight In The World,’ Not Fury 4 https://ift.tt/fw2MkiU Play video content TMZSports.com Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury IV would be an absolutely HUGE fight, but not the biggest … ’cause The Bronze Bomber tells us there isn’t a fight in the sport bigger than him vs. Anthony Joshua! “The biggest fight in the world is not [Fury], it’s me versus Anthony Joshua. That’s still the biggest fight in the world. Everywhere I go, people talk about that fight. That’s the one that they want to see,” the 36-year-old former heavyweight champ told Babcock on the “TMZ Sports” TV show (airs weekdays on FS1). It’s not that Deontay isn’t down for another with Tyson … because he is. “Whether [Fury and I] fight four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten times, the heavyweight division is small. We can do those things because it’s not packed like other divisions.” Tyson Fury Knocks Out Deontay Wilder In 11th, Crazy After-Party Wilder last fought in October 2021 … losing to Fury via an 11th-round TKO. It was his third fight with the Gypsy King … a trilogy that almost all boxing fans and experts agree was one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Fury, generally regarded as the current best heavyweight in the world, recently said he’d be open to another scrap with Wilder. As for Joshua, AJ’s coming off a split decision loss against Oleksandr Usyk in August. The fight was a rematch of their September 2021 bout … which Usyk also won. Joshua, 24-3 (22 knockouts), is a longtime rival of the Bronze Bomber … the men have talked about fighting for years. If it is going to happen, it better be sometime soon — Wilder tells us he plans to retire around his 40th birthday. Until then, Deontay says this phase of his career is all about making his fans happy, and giving them the fights they want to see. But, before those possible fights with Fury, Joshua, or anyone else, Deontay has to beat Robert Helenius this Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Wilder is a massive favorite (around -800) against the similarly sized 6’7″ pugilist … who has a professional record of 31-3 with 20 knockouts. Wilder vs. Helenius goes down this Saturday night on FOX Sports PPV! The post Deontay Wilder Says Fight W/ Joshua’s ‘Biggest Fight In The World,’ Not Fury 4 first appeared on Suave Media. Tags and categories: Uncategorized via WordPress https://ift.tt/WDucwq0 October 14, 2022 at 08:15AM

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frontproofmedia · 3 years ago

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Where Does Anthony Joshua’s Career Stand?

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By Sina Latif

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Published: August 29, 2022

The dust has settled a bit. We know what happened following Anthony Joshua’s immediate rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last week. Joshua’s ‘mask fell off’, as some would like to phrase it. Joshua is not fake. He’s not a fake person, and he’s not a fake role model, but the ‘mask’, being the one that hides the frustration and pressure he has constantly faced over the years, was no longer in place.

Joshua’s post-fight speech in the ring showed not just a defeated man but a broken one.

Joshua put in a real gutsy display, and flashes of clear annoyance and bad-temperedness after the fight should not take anything away from Joshua’s performance. AJ’s third professional loss clearly hurt, and those pre-fight calls for Joshua to retire will only grow now.

Joshua’s emotions in the post-fight press conference, where he cried, were as equally absorbing as it was difficult to watch. A man who had been the master of restraint for years, coming to terms with defeat in the biggest fight of his career so far amidst all the pressure.

Since Joshua won Olympic gold a decade ago, he was thrown into the limelight, quickly being put into huge events, multiple world title fights in front of huge crowds with the highest of expectations, entertaining millions who are quickly displeased and critical, and Joshua, quite frankly, seemed exhausted of all this mental stress. The good times can outweigh this physical and mental stress and make it seem somewhat worth it, but in the bad times, it became too much to bear.

“You see AJ holding it together yeah, and I’m a hustler so I try and put things together, I try to work hard and put things together, make sure my team’s good, but it comes at a cost, a big cost,” he said. “It will never break me but it takes real strength for it not to break you, and tonight, there’s a little crack in the armour because I took a loss.”

As Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus once said: “The trials we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths.”

One does not have to be the defining heavyweight of their era to have a great career. Joe Frazier is not the No.1 heavyweight of the Golden era of the 1970s, but he is an all-time great without a shadow of a doubt. George Foreman was not the No.1 heavyweight of the ’70s or the ’90s, but his longevity and achievements make him one of the greatest heavyweights in history.

As long as Joshua carries on fighting, based on how he performed against the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, he is not going anywhere as a top 3 or 4 heavyweight in the world, and absolutely no heavyweight in the world would have an easy outing against him.

Based on Joshua’s willingness to learn and improve, his mentality, and the constant broadening of his skillset in the ring, he has time to improve further, cement his legacy and become a three-time heavyweight champion of the world.

Let’s also not lose sight of why Joshua has just suffered back-to-back losses. He faced his high risk-low reward WBO mandatory last year when he could have easily vacated that WBO strap in favor of an easier warm-up bout whilst awaiting the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder trilogy fight winner, albeit not for undisputed.

Lesser champions may have opted to swerve the obviously dangerous proposition of facing Usyk, knowing the Fury super-fight is on the horizon. Instead, Joshua embraced the danger and staged an event in a fabulous 60,000-capacity stadium on an occasion that spectators will never forget. When things didn’t go as desired, Joshua jumped immediately back in with the man who had defeated him, not for the first time in his career.

Speaking to iFL TV ahead of the first Usyk fight, then-trainer Rob McCracken said: “You never really get into those conversations with him (Joshua). The way he thinks is the next challenge, and who the next opportunity is, and the next contender is, and since I met him 11 years ago when he came to Sheffield, you just don’t have them conversations with him (about vacating) because he sees boxing as a challenge and he’s happy to fight who the best available contender is all the time.”

Joshua’s mentality must be applauded. He has always expressed his desire to learn, and consecutive fights against a generational fighter, a masterful southpaw, will certainly provide lessons for Joshua going forward.

At age 32, physical recovery following his second loss to Usyk should not be an issue. Of his 27 fights thus far, few have been tough, grueling fights, and only four have gone the distance. The mental recovery, knowing there is a man out there who has proven to have his number, is another matter altogether.

The expectations set for Joshua were sky-high for so long. He seemed to be on the fast track to becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the defining heavyweight of his generation. The losses to Andy Ruiz Jr and Usyk, coupled with Tyson Fury’s astonishing comeback and rise to prominence, pushed those expectations further and further back. Now, Joshua’s goals of being the best heavyweight of his generation have been ripped to shreds.

However, as previously mentioned, legacies of being great heavyweights are not purely based on being the best of your generation.

In this second loss to Usyk, there were lots of positives in Joshua’s performance. He displayed his evolving skill-set and heart against the trickiest of southpaws. Usyk is one of the cleverest boxers of all time, with the ability to move through gears at any moment in a fight, and has tremendous boxing IQ, instincts, speed, footwork, heart, and determination.

Furthermore, Joshua’s heart cannot be questioned any longer. He dug deep against Usyk to provide the Ukrainian with arguably his toughest test as a professional. Since the Ruiz loss, Joshua’s heart has been questioned numerous times. Those questions cannot be posed any longer. AJ dug deep in the mid rounds to stay in the fight just as it looked like Usyk was getting into a rhythm, and then took the Ukrainian into deep waters, where Usyk showed his own championship mindset and talent. Joshua just simply faced a genuinely great fighter, one of the best of the 21st century. A man with the toughness and heart to match his immense skills.

With all the riches and titles gained, many have also recently questioned Joshua’s hunger. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Joshua said: “I spoke to Eddie and asked him if it’s possible to get out in November because momentum is important in boxing. Eddie said December.”

Joshua continued to say: “If it’s about who I fight, it’s come one, come all. Whoever wants it can get it, I don’t mind.”

These are not the words of a man who lacks hunger. Also, a man who no longer has the passion and desire would not react in the same manner as AJ following defeat. He is a winner who strives to compete and win.

Boxing is forged in adversity. The climb to the top is often fuelled by hardship. When Wladimir Klitschko lost his third professional fight to Lamon Brewster in April 2004, all his losses being KO’s, his days as an elite heavyweight looked a certainty to be over. What followed was one of the most dominant reigns in heavyweight history and the cementing of an all-time great legacy and career.

Joshua’s best days may just lie in the future. Whether a super-fight against Fury ever happens does not necessarily have to define Joshua’s career. The loss of his world titles also does not mean his career is over.

This is a new phase in Joshua’s career now, and perhaps it is the most intriguing. Joshua the contender. There is now the possibility of fights against the likes of Deontay Wilder, old rival Dillian Whyte, fellow Olympic medalist Joe Joyce, British up-and-comer Daniel Dubois, Andy Ruiz Jr, Filip Hrgovic, and Zhilei Zhang, amongst others.

Furthermore, if all goes well, this period in Joshua’s career could build Joshua back up to a world title shot. Perhaps most fascinatingly, it could re-introduce the Joshua of old to the British public. The destroyer who guarantees knockouts, who also has a chip on his shoulder.

Not many heavyweights are elusive maestro’s who are brilliant at back foot boxing like Usyk. Other heavyweights are more flat-footed than the mercurial, rare Ukrainian, and that plays into Joshua’s hands. The Brit can let his hands go and cause damage against the large majority of heavyweights.

A man who bested the great Wladimir Klitschko in an all-time heavyweight classic on a momentous occasion in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium, made a total of 7 title defenses, taking part in a total of 12 title fights, a two-time heavyweight champion who established himself as a heavyweight who guaranteed knockouts and entertainment.

This would not be a bad way to be remembered.

AJ has always had the speed, power, dimensions, and combination punching ability to inflict damage on any opponent. Just because he didn’t manage it against an all-time great does not mean he can’t do it against others.

As for Joshua’s behavior immediately after the fight, as Joe Louis once said: “Every man got a right to his own mistakes. Ain't no man that ain't made any.”

The immense pressure Joshua has felt over the years is one that no ordinary person can possibly fathom, and he exploded following a devastating loss that he worked so very hard in preparations for.

A man who has progressed to such heights of fame and success in such a short period of time is entitled to mistakes.

Joshua has defined an era of British boxing and has re-invigorated public interest in the sport. In defeat to a pound-for-pound great, Joshua did enough to prove he is still a great fighter, and that should be enough to keep people coming back for more Joshua fights.

(Featured Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)

#SL #Anthony Joshua #Oleksandr Usyk #Tysony Fury #Eddie Hearn #Heavyweight Boxing

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