Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua II | Sky Sports PPV - 20 August 2022

[Dioufy]

Are they gonna do a press tour?

At least one in the UK?

Yeah, next week I think in London.

Joshua in the face off was cringe; trying to get Usyk to look front as if he’s in control like Wlad was with him.

Sincerely hope Oleksandr fucks him up.

[maverick23]

Financial security? Bollocks.

There are all kinds of reasons you can make a case for why criticism shouldn't be levelled at Boxing for going to Saudi (i.e. the UK Government is all wrapped in Saudi and currently trying to increase their trade with them...) but on a morale standalone issue, when both boxers could earn tens of millions in the UK or the US from this fight, financial security is nonsense.

Apparently Saudi are paying $80m to stage the fight. I agree that financial security isn’t a valid reason but an $80m rights fee would dwarf what they could get in the U.K./US so I’m not surprised they’re so keen to go over there.

It’s 50-50 split too.

So even though it’s a record site fee, AJ will be getting less than he did against Ruiz.

Eddie’s been quite coy on the split. He said Usyk’s on a % split but I don’t think he’s ever mentioned it’s 50/50. He’s used as part of the reason why they’ve had to go to Saudi as Usyk will want his % to be maximised. Nothing to do with him or AJ wanting a load of cash.

[golden_labrador]

already seen chat on this on twitter, but after hearing Usyk had lost a lot of weight in Ukraine seems he's still looking at least as big here as in the first AJ fight. going for same weight as last time or bigger?

[garethhop]

Apparently Saudi are paying $80m to stage the fight. I agree that financial security isn’t a valid reason but an $80m rights fee would dwarf what they could get in the U.K./US so I’m not surprised they’re so keen to go over there.

It’s 50-50 split too.

So even though it’s a record site fee, AJ will be getting less than he did against Ruiz.

Eddie’s been quite coy on the split. He said Usyk’s on a % split but I don’t think he’s ever mentioned it’s 50/50. He’s used as part of the reason why they’ve had to go to Saudi as Usyk will want his % to be maximised. Nothing to do with him or AJ wanting a load of cash.

Turns out the main reason for Eddie going is to grow the sport at the grass roots in Saudi Arabia.

Well there we go.

[golden_labrador]

[gregregegg]

im ok with going to saudi if there willing to drop 100million just on a site fee. this pretty much makes the TV rights just a bit of cream on top.... What i will say, is if you abandon the fans, and ignore the human rights attrocitys and start a ppv modal you promised was dead, then the least you can do is put on a fornicating belter undercard..

-AJ vs Usyk
-okolie vs Makabu
-Babic vs Rivas
-hrgovic vs zhang
-Lerrone Richards vs jessie heart
-plus some little guy wars and some middle eastern tallent.

That kind of fornicating card. you have a 100 million bonus, the money is there.... i meean whats that undercard cost? 5 or 6 million? way less than 10 % of the bonus to pay for one of the best undercards ever.. As a bonus, it lets you do good PPV numbers and actualy kick start DAZNs PPV modal, which will struggle without a boost.

Even if it dosent increase buys (which it will) AJ and Usyk should both be willing to sacrafice a couple of million each, if it makes this event a true spectical, they will make it back on there next fights due to increased intrest...

[Dioufy]

im ok with going to saudi if there willing to drop 100million just on a site fee. this pretty much makes the TV rights just a bit of cream on top.... What i will say, is if you abandon the fans, and ignore the human rights attrocitys and start a ppv modal you promised was dead, then the least you can do is put on a fornicating belter undercard..

-AJ vs Usyk
-okolie vs Makabu
-Babic vs Rivas
-hrgovic vs zhang
-Lerrone Richards vs jessie heart
-plus some little guy wars and some middle eastern tallent.

That kind of fornicating card. you have a 100 million bonus, the money is there.... i meean whats that undercard cost? 5 or 6 million? way less than 10 % of the bonus to pay for one of the best undercards ever.. As a bonus, it lets you do good PPV numbers and actualy kick start DAZNs PPV modal, which will struggle without a boost.

Even if it dosent increase buys (which it will) AJ and Usyk should both be willing to sacrafice a couple of million each, if it makes this event a true spectical, they will make it back on there next fights due to increased intrest...

More likely…

Usyk/Josh
Okolie/Chamberlain
Babic/Fa
Skye/2-15-2

[Ruthless-RKO]

im ok with going to saudi if there willing to drop 100million just on a site fee. this pretty much makes the TV rights just a bit of cream on top.... What i will say, is if you abandon the fans, and ignore the human rights attrocitys and start a ppv modal you promised was dead, then the least you can do is put on a fornicating belter undercard..

-AJ vs Usyk
-okolie vs Makabu
-Babic vs Rivas
-hrgovic vs zhang
-Lerrone Richards vs jessie heart
-plus some little guy wars and some middle eastern tallent.

That kind of fornicating card. you have a 100 million bonus, the money is there.... i meean whats that undercard cost? 5 or 6 million? way less than 10 % of the bonus to pay for one of the best undercards ever.. As a bonus, it lets you do good PPV numbers and actualy kick start DAZNs PPV modal, which will struggle without a boost.

Even if it dosent increase buys (which it will) AJ and Usyk should both be willing to sacrafice a couple of million each, if it makes this event a true spectical, they will make it back on there next fights due to increased intrest...

More likely…

Usyk/Josh
Okolie/Chamberlain
Babic/Fa
Skye/2-15-2

Okolie-Chamberlain II - MORE BRITISH BEEF!! This time in a burger bun!!

[daz74]

If DAZN think enough people will pay for a PPV on an app in the current circumstances they're mad. There was nothing controversial in the first fight to make a rematch interesting and I've a feeling this will get called off through 'injury' or another excuse.
Boxing needs to temper in its greed right now

An app is just a piece of software that you open on your phone, ipad, laptop, or big arse tv screen.
Your either gonna buy the fight or not buy the fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

Cus I previously subbed and don’t anymore.

I wonder it they’ll do an offer. Buy the fight on its own and give me a month or two worth or sub.

They do that in US. I remember. But it’s more pricy there.

[fizzjambo]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportswashing

[coneye]

Just watched the press conference whell actually watched has much has i could bear , alls i can say is JEEZ Aj can certainly babble on and on and ON

[Stobbo]

I'm finding it increasingly hard to listen to Joshua. Like watching him fight, but his patter stinks.

[Ruthless-RKO]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportswashing

AJ wa refusing to get into the whole Sportswashing debates

[Boxerbeetle]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportswashing

AJ wa refusing to get into the whole Sportswashing debates

To be fair, it’s not really his place to discuss that sort of thing. Boxers should stick to fighting, not get involved in geopolitical debates.

[garethhop]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportswashing

AJ wa refusing to get into the whole Sportswashing debates

To be fair, it’s not really his place to discuss that sort of thing. Boxers should stick to fighting, not get involved in geopolitical debates.

Of course it's his place.

[Boxerbeetle]

AJ wa refusing to get into the whole Sportswashing debates

To be fair, it’s not really his place to discuss that sort of thing. Boxers should stick to fighting, not get involved in geopolitical debates.

Of course it's his place.

No it isn’t.

[joshj909]

To be fair, it’s not really his place to discuss that sort of thing. Boxers should stick to fighting, not get involved in geopolitical debates.

Of course it's his place.

No it isn’t.

He's financially benefiting from the regime. It's not like he's on a low paid job where he can't really choose his boss, he's chosen to benefit from the sportwashing by giving them his image and is complicit in the scheme.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua Refuses To Get Involved in Sportswashing Debate

Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is not concerned with the recent date over "sportswashing" when it comes to Saudi Arabia's push to secure high profile sporting events.

There are many observers who believe Saudi Arabia is securing sporting events to steer away attention from the country's controversies with human rights violations.

One of the biggest stories in sports, is the Saudi-funded LIV Golf - which is now emerging as a formidable competitor to the biggest tours in golf by steering away top players with huge monetary prizes.

The British has been out of the ring since last September, when he was outboxed over twelve rounds by Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The win gave Usyk the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight titles.

Joshua's rematch with Usyk will take place in Saudi Arabia on August 20th.

Back in 2019, Joshua reclaimed his heavyweight titles from Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia.

A press conference was held on Tuesday in Jeddah, to officially announce the Usyk-Joshua rematch.

During the media event, Joshua was confronted by reportrs on the subject of sportswashing.

"I don't know what that [sportswashing] is. I'm here to win the heavyweight champion of the world. I like Saudi. I think Saudi's good. I'm having a good time here. I'm treated really well," Joshua told reporters.

"All that allegation stuff, for me, I'm not caught up in any of that stuff. I'm here to have a good time, mix with the local people, bring entertainment to Saudi."

[Ruthless-RKO]

The US has a long history of human right abuse, going back decades. Not once did anyone boycott the US.
Russia invaded Ukraine and everyone is talking about boycotting Russia and Russian athletes.

Will just say that while I agree with most re: needing to boycott Saudi Arabia, Russia, or wherever, that if all of these principles were applied consistently, then America and Britain should have attracted centuries of press outrage re: sportwashing and the whole world should be lining up to boycott our sporting events.

[joshj909]

The US has a long history of human right abuse, going back decades. Not once did anyone boycott the US.
Russia invaded Ukraine and everyone is talking about boycotting Russia and Russian athletes.

Will just say that while I agree with most re: needing to boycott Saudi Arabia, Russia, or wherever, that if all of these principles were applied consistently, then America and Britain should have attracted centuries of press outrage re: sportwashing and the whole world should be lining up to boycott our sporting events.

Morality, freedom and accessible platforms have generally evolved over the centuries. Hard to boycott events that happened well before your lifetime and judge others that you've never met about their morals in a different generation.

Realistically, a number of times in recent history nations should have also been boycotted but we can't go back in time either. Boycotting one human rights abuser is better than letting them all off because you previously let one off.

I'd also suggest that certain human rights abuses in some countries are not comparable to others and it is well with looking into before comparing the two.

**And I'm saying this as someone who is a huge critic of the 20th and 21st century US domestic and foreign policy and the British empire before that.

[Dioufy]

Usyk looks like he wants someone’s head to rip off.

I see the fight ending brutally like the Bellew one.

[Deserter]

You can never read too much into face-offs/stare-downs, but Usyk does look supremely confident. I think he'll end up stopping Joshua this time around.

[margaret thatcher]

usyk is a naturally confident guy and beat aj handily the first time , beating him up at the end. gotta be confident for sure

[Ruthless-RKO]

usyk is a naturally confident guy and beat aj handily the first time , beating him up at the end. gotta be confident for sure

He’ll go in there with more confidence than AJ.

The Ruiz fight was different. He knows Ruiz caught him
With a shot that messed up his whole equilibrium..

Usyk didn’t do that. He peppered him all night.