By: Hans Themistode
The 2021 boxing calendar has been filled with disturbances. Among a long list, is the mostly unanticipated outcome between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk. Although the Ukrainian star has dominated the cruiser class, winning every world title en route to becoming an undisputed world champion, his performance as a heavyweight is still very much in the making. many people expect.
After a lackluster knockout win over Chazz Witherspoon and a decisive win over competitor Dereck Chisora, Usyk finds himself a significantly weaker underdog than his previous unified roster. However, despite his massive muscles and propensity to knock out, Joshua still struggled very strongly. While Joshua had his moments, he was completely out of the box as he continued to lose his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.
Although Usyk has been praised for what many consider the saddest of the year, Floyd Mayweather becomes skeptical whenever that concept is brought up.
“It’s not a nasty thing,” Mayweather told several reporters. “It’s just, Anthony Joshua was on TV. Everyone has seen him. Usyk is a helluva fighter, a gold medalist if I’m not mistaken. But he was behind the scenes. Two guys with crazy amateur backgrounds and one guy not being seen and the other being seen, we call that an annoyance. No, it’s just that he’s working behind the scenes and someone else is working in front of everyone. In the end, they had to meet and Anthony Joshua showed up shortly.”
As illustrated by Mayweather, both Joshua and Usyk have enjoyed considerable success in the unpaid division. In Joshua’s case, he ended his amateur career with a 40-3 record. In the process, the English-born player took home a 2012 Olympic gold medal. But, whatever impression Joshua had before turning pro, Usyk’s track record as an amateur tennis player. unworthy of his opponent.
In addition to winning amateur tournaments, Usyk also won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. By the time of his amateur glove retirement, Usyk had a combined record of 335-15. Although Mayweather believes the Ukrainian should never have been seen as the underdog when he entered the fight against Joshua, the former unified player is still trying hard to regain his heavyweight title.
Immediately after the loss, Joshua made the rematch clause. Both are currently entangled in harsh denials. And, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the pair are expected to lock lips in the first half of 2022.
Over the past few months, Joshua has been spotted at numerous gyms as he appears to be on the lookout for a new trainer. If the former heavyweight champion has yet to make a final decision, Mayweather urged the British star to pick up the phone and call him.
“I told him at the beginning, he can come and I can teach him some points.”
