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Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk defended the heavyweight titles of the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO organizations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and added to them the vacant belt of The Ring magazine. He defeated Briton Anthony Joshua on points after a mixed judges verdict.
Usyk defended Ukraine between matches
Former cruiser heavyweight champion and 2012 London Olympic heavyweight champion Usyk stripped Joshua of the titles last September when he won by unanimous decision. The British activated the guaranteed retaliation clause after the loss. The deadline was also postponed due to Usyk’s stay in Ukraine, where he was defending his homeland from an attack by Russia.
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Having lost two of his last four fights, Joshua was struggling not only to regain the titles, but also for his legacy and future. Compared to the first confrontation, he was heavier and more aggressive. In the first 2-3 rounds, he asserted his boxing power him.
Gradually, however, 35-year-old Usyk, significantly faster and more technical, began to dictate the pace. In one move he eliminated the physical superiority of a challenger three years younger and imposed his own way of fighting on him. The champion accumulated points.
A shocked judge point
Joshua was finding his way with body shots that slowed Usyk. The Ukrainian staggered into the ring in the 9th round after a flurry of punches, but the challenger missed a knockout jab in his best round of the entire dual match.
Usyk cleared his mind during the break and in the tenth round he was landing punches like a sewing machine. The champion had points, only finishing before the limit could save Joshua in the final round. However, he couldn’t surprise a more advanced opponent in the vast majority of respects.
The point referees disagreed on the winner. While two (the English and the Ukrainian) confirmed the champion’s defense in the ratio of 115-113, one referee (the American) saw eight rounds in Joshua’s favor, even at the level of scandal.
Joshua did not believe: you are not strong, how did you defeat me?
After the fight on their knees, the peasants expressed mutual respect by bowing and hugging each other, together raising the Ukrainian flag. Joshua did not take the loss after the verdict was announced. He grabbed two belts and yelled at the crowd. Then he dropped them to the ground and left the ring. However, ever since he entered the bowels of the stadium, he has gone back through the ropes.
“You are not strong, how did you beat me? How? I have character and determination. You beat me with your skills, “he emotionally told Usyk and then took the microphone:” It was a match … This guy is a phenomenal boxer. The fact that he beat me in today’s form shows how much hard work he puts into it. I don’t know what’s going on in Ukraine, but it’s not nice. Applause to Usyk for defending his title even in these circumstances “.
Joshua, also a gold medalist at the 2012 Olympics in heavyweight, won the first 22 fights of his career on the road to the titles and claimed the scalp of Vladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin and Dilian Whyte. In June 2019, he blatantly lost his belt after a technical knockout from great outsider Andy Ruiz Jr., but won on points in the rematch. He failed to recover against Usyk and has lost three of his last five games (total 24-3).
Usyk: Tyson Fury isn’t done yet
Even after the 20th professional match, the undefeated native of Simrefopol dedicated the triumph to his family, his homeland and all defenders of Ukraine. He has expanded his collection of titles from The Ring magazine belt, which was also vacated by undefeated Briton Tyson Fury (32 wins, one draw) after his official career ended on August 12.
Out of six notable titles, Usyk is missing only one: the WBC belt, which still belongs to Fury. Many still do not take his words about the end of his career seriously and the Ukrainian has also been asked for a possible unification duel.
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“I’m sure Tyson Fury isn’t done yet. I’m sure he wants to fight me. And I want to compete with him. If I don’t fight Fury, I won’t fight at all, “Usyk said, and when asked if he would become the undisputed world champion, he replied,” Only God knows. But my team will help me do that. ”
Slovakian Jurko succumbed to Usyk’s mate
Slovak light heavyweight boxer Jozef Jurko (28) lost sharply on points to Ukrainian Daniel Lapin in the second preliminary match of the boxing gala of the year. Košičan lost all eight rounds with the judges.
Photo gallery
Jozef Jurko (right).
Source: Reuters
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Undefeated Lapin, who trains with Usyk, improved his record to 6-0 thanks to a considerable height advantage (198-180). Jurek was unable to close the gap, the Ukrainian also surpassed him technically. “Slovak Bulldog” suffered his seventh defeat in his seventeenth professional duel.
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