First Tony Bellew, then Derek Chisora, followed by Anthony Joshua.
Ukrainian Aleksandr Usyk fed on some of the best that Britain had to offer in the heaviest boxing division, and came out a former undisputed and unified cruiserweight champion. and
Now the current WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion, with a record of 19 fights and 19 wins.
The 34 year old, 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medallist has really upset the apple cart in the heavyweight division, after just three fights at that weight.
With a superb amateur background, boasting a record of 335-15, Usyk is knowledgable and experienced in the sweet science of boxing, with superb boxing intelligence, who moves like a super middleweight but has the strength and power to hurt heavyweights.
This is why, when it was announced that Anthony Joshua has made a move in principle for an immediate rematch, I cringed.
Not that Joshua is not capable of claiming back his heavyweight titles, but it felt knee jerk and I feel after his second professional defeat, he is judging this decision on his first defeat, where he got an immediate rematch with Ruiz Jr and boxed his way to becoming a two time Heavyweight champion.
However, Usyk is no Ruiz, Jr. When Joshua lost to Ruiz Jr it was a massive shock and took everyone by surprise.
Not to mention AJ looked off his game and seemed overwhelmed in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
In the defeat to Usyk, Joshua was soundly and comprehensively beaten for most of the 12 rounds in his own back yard, he was picked off at will and visibly hurt at the final bell.
Although it was obvious he got his tactics wrong, does Joshua at this point possess enough to go and beat Usyk in an instant turnaround?
When he beat an out of shape looking Ruiz Jr, the tactics was clear and obvious. However, many still thought that although Joshua boxed clever, it boxed very safe and tentatively, staying away from Ruiz Jr’s power, although Joshua towered over him.
To this day, although Joshua did what he had to do with the tactics, I still think Ruiz Jr deserved a third fight.
It was clear, but also baffling, that Joshua and his team decided to box or try to box Usyk, especially knowing Usyk is a veteran of over 300 wins in the amateur ranks.
Although Joshua is also an Olympic gold medallist, he in no way near has the same amateur pedigree Usyk has, so the decision in trying to out jab, stick and move a cruiserweight, who has the skills of the Ukrainian, was amateur in itself.
That fact that Joshua, who outweighed Usyk by over 20 pounds, is also taller and has fought at the heavyweight division for a lot longer.
Needs two goes to get the correct game plan for Usyk, is alarming to me and an indication that they may need more time for this rematch.
This is also added to the fact that Usyk is a southpaw and Joshua has only fought one other southpaw in his career. This was against Charles Martin, which was in 2016 when he first won the heavyweight title and it lasted just two rounds.
Currently, Anthony Joshua is just one of four heavyweight boxers to win the title back following an immediate rematch after Floyd Patterson in 1960, Muhammad Ali in 1978, and Lennox Lewis in 2001.
I believe he is putting more emphasis on the history of this and chasing legacy than the actual fight, which is what it is at the end of the day.
If Joshua came into the fight and used his size and strength over Usyk, tried to bully him, push him around and impose his frame, then he would have had a much better chance at beating Usyk.
It is stated that right after the fight, while still inside the ring, Joshua was plotting his rematch and believed he now knows how to beat Usyk.
That maybe so, but the issue is although he can change his game plan and improve, Usyk is also getting better at heavyweight and I believe the first fight was a better opportunity to impose his will.
I am sure Usyk knows what Joshua may do in the second fight and if rumours are true that Usyk could have been holding back in the later stages of the first fight.
Joshua coming out, desperate to retain his titles may just play into the hands of the slick boxing Usyk.
However, at this point, the fear is Joshua, who was a heavyweight champion for five years (baring a six month gap) may have come accustomed to the status of being heavyweight champion.
Now this immediate rematch could be him chasing that status instead of carving out a proper and feasible strategy for Usyk where he may have to go one step back to go two steps forward.
Either way, whatever decision is made, the public are the winners as we get to see it all again, and it will be even more intriguing than the first fight, knowing what we already saw in the Tottenham Stadium.
And if that’s not exciting enough, waiting in the wings for the winner of this rematch, will be the winner of Fury v Wilder 3….Oh boy, I got goosebumps.
