Oleksandr Usyk retained the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight championship of the world with a split decision win over a much-improved Anthony Joshua at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. ‘AJ’ performed far better than he did in losing his belts to the same opponent in London last September, but his efforts were not enough to dethrone one of the most talented men ever to wear the heavyweight crown. There have been bigger fighters than Usyk. More powerful fighters and more feted fighters too. But few have ever possessed the speed, intelligence and boxing fundamentals of the new The Ring magazine belt-holder.
The opening round was quiet with the pair sizing each other up. ‘The Cat’ landed an eye-catching left through the middle of Joshua’s guard. It would be a warning of what was to come. Joshua eased into the fight in the next round, landing a solid right up top to establish his credentials. Usyk answered with straight left. The Ukrainian’s movement and energy made him almost impossible to pin down here. He limited ‘AJ’ to single body shots in the second. As energy-sapping as those can be, they are no match for the kind of combinations Usyk was starting to put together.
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The Watford man began to establish his lead hand in the fourth, landing multiple jabs before looking to close distance. His ascendancy did not last. Usyk stuffed another straight shot through the guard as well as a bracing right cross. The fifth stanza saw Usyk complain of a low blow after a body shot. In fairness to Joshua, the shot looked borderline, but the champion did not milk his rest period. ‘AJ’ continued to work the body but received a right hand up top for his troubles.
The defensive brilliance of Usyk was on full display in the sixth round. Joshua appeared to have his man pinned against the ropes but just as he was about to unload, Usyk had disappeared like a whisper in the wind. It was a testament to this professor of the ring, a true master’s degree in boxing from one of it's greatest fellows.
Despite being worthy of first class educational honours in the art of pugilism, Usyk is not above copying his neighbour’s homework. Usyk absorbed Joshua’s body attack into his own gameplan. ‘AJ’ got a good right hand in up top but his foe began to find frequent success with lefts to the body. The eighth round was delayed while the ring canvas was wiped down, a recurring problem that had happened on the undercard. A good, hard left to the body from Joshua made Usyk think twice. Sensing success, the Brit loaded up on more shots downstairs. His Ukrainian opponent blinked for the first time in the fight, holding on to protect his vulnerable abdomen.
This body assault would not halt Usyk for long. His handspeed was simply sublime, and when Joshua got wise Usyk would simply glide away. Joshua caught up to him though, and the power shots he landed on the inside visibly hurt the champion. Joshua talked his prey, raining down with blows. Usyk made it through the round, and the biggest test of his career as a heavyweight so far.
The tenth round was quite simply one of the finest three-minute spells of the year inside the squared circle. Usyk began the session spinning away from another ‘AJ’ salvo and landing an educated right hand of his own. Joshua fired back, cracking Usyk with a right hook that was surely the punch of the night. But Usyk powered through and ended a see-saw stanza on top, backing ‘AJ’ into the ropes for the first time with hard power shots. A superb display from two truly special heavyweights.
These were desperate times for Joshua, who had two rounds to reclaim a prize he has held on two occasions. Usyk did not simply read from the boxing textbook, he emptied every punch from it, cover-to-cover, on Joshua. Then he threw the textbook itself at his fellow Olympic gold medalist. Usyk allowed himself the indulgence of dropping his hands as the round came to a close. The watching Prince Naseem Hamed will have enjoyed that one.
The final round saw ‘AJ’ empty the tank to try and claw back the titles that deserted him last year. But three vicious counter shots from Usyk kept that from coming to pass, Usyk punctuating the deciding round with a sweet right hook.
The scorecards caused many lumps in the throats of observers, as a split decision was read out. Thankfully two of the three cards were tabulated in Usyk’s favour, awarding him a rightful victory.
Joshua deserved to emerge from his fine performance here with credit and public support. Instead he left a sour taste. Firstly, he threw down the WBA and The Ring belts intended for Usyk. Then he had a spirited conversation with Usyk before wrapping himself in the Ukrainian’s own national flag. Joshua took a microphone and went into an expletive-laden rant, completely treading on Usyk’s moment with his own self-indulgent ramblings. Someone close to Joshua should have led him away but the only real sanction he received was Usyk reclaiming his flag early in the droning speech. This was a bizarre public outburst from ‘AJ’ which put a dampener on a fine bout.
Usyk said in the aftermath that recently-retired WBC champion Tyson Fury is the only fight he wants next. Despite The Ring title contested tonight only just being vacated by Fury, one hopes ‘The Gypsy King’ tuned in tonight. Usyk is one of the most gifted men ever to wear the heavyweight championship. Fury is another who fits that description. A fight between the pair is as mouth-watering a prospect as boxing can offer in 2022.
Pictures: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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