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

[margaret thatcher]

my worry for josh is that he might lose any confidence he has and shut down if usyk gets the advantage from the start again. 'oh it's this again. this guy is just too good'

i think it's important for him to win 2 of the first 3 at least to show himself he can turn it around

[gregregegg]

Guess the weights time?



Ill go Usyk 222 and AJ 252.

[maverick23]

I’m really looking forward to this now. AJ seems to me to be in a better place mentally. Hopefully he’s not asking people for advice on his way to the ring this time (I still can’t believe he did that).

[Riddick Bowie]

Anyone know what time the weigh in?

[golden_labrador]

unless Garcia has taught AJ something really new and game changing, I see Usyk stopping him before Round 9. Usyk knows where to go and how to do it now. AJ will be blinking a lot and smiling and looking at his corner as the hits keep slipping in.

I do like AJ though so I'd be happy if he proves us all wrong

AJ 249
Usyk 224

[forcefraser]

Usyk 230
Aj 244

[MightyWarrior]

I’ll watch the undercard on IPTV and tune into a DAZN feed to avoid the cringeworthy sky comm lackies, then I might go out to meet friends aka casuals in a local to watch the main event, not earlier so I don’t get completely blooted ( Brentford Fulham earlier ) or stay in and watch it on DAZN …And I’m going with Joshua to stop the bulked up roided Ukrainian midway w body shots, because that’s what I really want to happen.

weren't you criticizing bulked up roided usyk for leaving ukraine to take this one? well at least him doing that gives us the chance to enjoy this fight with the mates

Not really, think i was prob joking about all his pics in battle gear, followed by one of his new hair cut, followed by him leaving the country
I’m glad he got the hell out, the last thing they need is their world champ getting killed by some random Russian bullet. .

Glad to hear you’ll be watching with “the mates” I’m surprised you have any

[peter barlow]

What time is ringwalk, I'm reading 11pm

[peter barlow]

Hard to call, I think most likely a Usyk stoppage. But think Joshua has bigger chance than some are giving him, for a KO.

Either Joshua KOs him early doors or gasses and Usyk takes him part.

I go with Usyk KO.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

What time is ringwalk, I'm reading 11pm

10:30

[gregregegg]

Geezes ben whitticker is in some unreal shape. Abs on abs on abs. I wonder if 175 will be his weight, no fat on him, but didnt look drained in the face at all, will he go for 168 later ? carrer 175er? eye at 200?

[peter barlow]

What time is ringwalk, I'm reading 11pm

10:30

Cheers Ruth

[IRONFIST]

Joshua's eyes give it away again, like a rabbit in the headlights, the man looks like he's going to the electric chair. Haven't seen anyone as bad as that at world level since Spinks took on Tyson or Bruno crossing himself in the second Tyson fight.

Usyk to win within 7 rounds.

Macaranelli v Haye too ? I wonder if Joshua might go into a shoot out if it's the case

Didn't really notice it for Macca vs Haye in the build-up.

Joshua's best chance is to go for Usyk early, Usyk is usually a slow starter and not that difficult to hit but I suspect gun-shy Joshua to box cautiously for a few rounds hoping for an easy opening chance and he'd also be wary of his own very poor stamina, I also expect a bit of dirty fighting from Joshua when his early gameplan goes out of the window, using his weight to lean on Usyk, Lenny Lewis style etc

But Usyk is on a seek and destroy mission, he sees the fear in Joshua's eyes, he now knows he can take Joshua's punches and knows he can hurt him enough to stop him. I hope when Usyk wins, he learns a bit more english, it would be much more fun for the Fury fight build-up rather than the jokes going through an interpreter where it loses a bit in the delay.

[gregregegg]

AJ 244.5

Usyk 221.5

[joshj909]

AJ is losing tomorrow. I think coming in stronger and bulldozing Usyk was his only chance at victory. He doesn't seem to get that he'd have to shed 15kg to try and match Usyks speed.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oleksandr Usyk 221.5 pounds; Anthony Joshua 244.5.


Usyk weighed 221.25 in the first meeting, while AJ was 240.

[deadpan]

AJ knows. He managed to hang on in there in the stare down, then he breaks it with a genuflecting handshake and some seemingly respectful words. That angle when you could see Usyk following his eyeline was pretty badass.

Then straight after Joshua says face offs don’t matter. Because he knows he just lost that one. And felt intimated.

Usyk has this at a canter.

[stujones]

I do worry (as I am wanting Oleksandr to win) that he might get caught if he buzzes AJ too early and goes for the kill. I still think about how easily he marked up against a passive AJ. This has the feel (in some ways) of a possible Hamed vs Barrera rematch - the one way nature of fight 1 and it was Barerra who also looked in 3rd gear throughout - means that surely there is only one winner but like Hamed, there is always the KO punch with AJ and you like the Hamed vs Barerra fight you feel that AJ (Hamed) did not catch Usyk (Barerra) right in fight 1.

However, with about 90% certainty I am going for a Usyk by stoppage or points, probably the stoppage although I can see a scenario where Usyk buzzes AJ who then goes into passive AJ and Usyk coasts the rest of the fight. I've not felt as nervous for a fight in a long time as I don't want to see a great champion like Usyk on his back which is the only way I can see him lose.

[IRONFIST]

AJ knows. He managed to hang on in there in the stare down, then he breaks it with a genuflecting handshake and some seemingly respectful words. That angle when you could see Usyk following his eyeline was pretty badass.

Then straight after Joshua says face offs don’t matter. Because he knows he just lost that one. And felt intimated.

Usyk has this at a canter.

Joshua gulping and looks like tears in his eyes in the staredown, Usyk not even blinking with his crazy eyes (Bill Kazmaier style) getting into the mind and soul of the opponent We could get a world record staredown time for Usyk vs Fury after Usyk beats Joshua again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dubois: "It Would Be Better For Me If Joshua Beats Usyk"

“I hope AJ wins,” Dubois told iD Boxing’s Rob Tebbutt. “I can’t picture it in my head but I hope he wins. I hope he goes out there and puts it on Usyk, takes it to and really roughs him up. It would be better for me if Joshua wins. For the heavyweights out there, it’s better if Joshua wins.

“But Usyk is an amazing fighter, he has amazing skills and it wouldn’t surprise me if he wins again.”

“AJ is a fellow Brit,” noted Dubois, who is currently riding a three-fight knockout streak. “Of course AJ, I hope he wins. We’re both big punchers. It goes without saying. Usyk is a trickier fighter to me. He hits you with shots where you don’t know where they’re coming from.”

[deadpan]

AJ knows. He managed to hang on in there in the stare down, then he breaks it with a genuflecting handshake and some seemingly respectful words. That angle when you could see Usyk following his eyeline was pretty badass.

Then straight after Joshua says face offs don’t matter. Because he knows he just lost that one. And felt intimated.

Usyk has this at a canter.

Joshua gulping and looks like tears in his eyes in the staredown, Usyk not even blinking with his crazy eyes (Bill Kazmaier style) getting into the mind and soul of the opponent We could get a world record staredown time for Usyk vs Fury after Usyk beats Joshua again.

Ha! Indeed. Though I do wonder quite how enthusiastic Fury is about a Usyk fight. Usyk is the one fighter in the division who Tyson is not able to trounce in the mind games and Oleksander is at least every bit as skilled as him, if not more. He always seems a bit too eager to dismiss him as a 'middleweight' and no type of challenge, but I think he'd be a lot more likely to 'un-retire' if Joshua somehow gets his hand raised tomorrow, and not just because of the extra revenue it would generate. I'm not saying Fury loses, but I am saying he definitely doesn't beat him 10 times out of 10. And it would be a catastrophic blow to the Gypsy King ego (and legacy) if he lost to a much smaller man.

Amateur psychiatry session over!

[deadpan]

Dubois: "It Would Be Better For Me If Joshua Beats Usyk"

“I hope AJ wins,” Dubois told iD Boxing’s Rob Tebbutt. “I can’t picture it in my head but I hope he wins. I hope he goes out there and puts it on Usyk, takes it to and really roughs him up. It would be better for me if Joshua wins. For the heavyweights out there, it’s better if Joshua wins.

“But Usyk is an amazing fighter, he has amazing skills and it wouldn’t surprise me if he wins again.”

“AJ is a fellow Brit,” noted Dubois, who is currently riding a three-fight knockout streak. “Of course AJ, I hope he wins. We’re both big punchers. It goes without saying. Usyk is a trickier fighter to me. He hits you with shots where you don’t know where they’re coming from.”

Admirable honesty there!

[Nightmare Roy]

I knew all this Usyk has put on 15kg was a load of bollox.

[margaret thatcher]

I’ll watch the undercard on IPTV and tune into a DAZN feed to avoid the cringeworthy sky comm lackies, then I might go out to meet friends aka casuals in a local to watch the main event, not earlier so I don’t get completely blooted ( Brentford Fulham earlier ) or stay in and watch it on DAZN …And I’m going with Joshua to stop the bulked up roided Ukrainian midway w body shots, because that’s what I really want to happen.

weren't you criticizing bulked up roided usyk for leaving ukraine to take this one? well at least him doing that gives us the chance to enjoy this fight with the mates

Not really, think i was prob joking about all his pics in battle gear, followed by one of his new hair cut, followed by him leaving the country
I’m glad he got the hell out, the last thing they need is their world champ getting killed by some random Russian bullet. .

Glad to hear you’ll be watching with “the mates” I’m surprised you have any

ah right, that was you