Anthony Joshua: I do not think Oleksandr Usyk can ‘hurt’ opponents

Planet Sport writerStaff Writer28 October 2020
Eddie Hearn admits Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury is unlikely to be held in Britain

Eddie Hearn admits Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury is unlikely to be held in Britain

"When I boxed Andy Ruiz Jr in the second fight, I adapted to the Usyk style..."

Anthony Joshua heaped praise on Oleksandr Usyk's skills in the ring but doubted whether the Ukrainian can hurt people as much as him.

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk is set to face Derek Chisora live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday, October 31.
This is just his second fight at heavyweight since moving up in weight class. This is by far his toughest challenge to date, with Chisora looking in great shape and possessing the power to unsettle Usyk.
Usyk is currently AJ's mandatory for his WBO world title. He is putting this opportunity at risk in this fight with Chisora, with it being his first true test at heavyweight.

Should Usyk win, the pressure will be on Joshua to face the Ukrainian immediately after his scheduled fights against Tyson Fury next year.

Usyk is regarded as one of the best fighters of this modern era, with his footwork and hand movement being unapparelled for a man of his size.
Joshua told Sky Sports that Chisora's opponent is just as skilful as people think he is, but he doubts whether he has the power to cope at heavyweight:
"When I boxed Andy Ruiz Jr in the second fight, I adapted to the Usyk style.
"Hit and don't get hit, the sweet science of boxing. You learn that from the amateurs.
"I was amateur for two-and-a-half years so was still adapting to different styles. Usyk was amateur for a long time so he has taken the 'hit and don't get hit' style into the pros.
"The good thing that helped me? Sometimes I know to sit down on my feet and hurt someone.
"You've got to let them know that you're there because all that pitty-patty stuff after 12 rounds? Sometimes people don't respect that type of power."
Joshua certainly raises a valid point here. There is no doubt that Usyk really is a tremendous fighter, and he truly is one of the very best fighters of recent years.
But the main question surrounding him fighting at heavyweight is his power and his size. Compared to some of the giants around today including AJ and Fury, Usyk is quite small.
He has not been known to be an especially heavy puncher, with his skills in the ring being used to tire out his opponents both physically and mentally.
When he faces Chisora, this is a huge opportunity for Usyk to silence many of these doubters. If he convincingly beats the Brit, it will catapult him straight to the elite level alongside Joshua and Fury.