Hiram Moreno
The Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II clash, which will serve as a rematch between the two after the former’s victory last year and a new unified heavyweight title fight, is just over a month away.
Following Anthony Joshua’s defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25, 2021, Oleksandr Usyk emerged as the new IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA heavyweight champion, and. Joshua will be back for what belonged to him this August 20 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua will not only be looking to regain his titles but also his honor, as many pundits labeled his performance in the previous fight between the two as a “stain on his heavyweight legacy”, while Oleksandr Usyk will have all the pressure on him as expectations are high after the previous bout.
Picks and Predictions for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua in the Fight for the Title
Where: Jeddah Super Dome, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When: Saturday, August 20, 2022, Time to be confirmed
Odds: Oleksandr Usyk (-215) vs. Anthony Joshua (+175)
Oleksandr Usyk
- Odds: -215
- Total fights: 19
- Wins: 19 (13 by KO)
- Defeats: 0
- Ties: 0
Oleksandr Usyk has started to have less boxing activity since 2018, contesting only one fight per year since then, with the last one being precisely the previous bout against Joshua.
This is more than understandable, as Usyk is already 35 years old, and not only that, he was part of the Ukrainian militia in the fight against the Russian invasion, and had to request a permit from the Minister of Sports of his country to be able to fight this fight, in which he will test not only his titles, but also his undefeated record.
Will the preparation time be enough for Oleksandr Usyk to be at 100 % for this rematch? It’s something the Ukrainian will have to show in the ring, although a knockout may not be the way to victory after Usyk won his last two fights by unanimous decision—something that also demonstrates his dominance in those fights.
Anthony Joshua
- Odds: +175
- Total fights: 26
- Wins: 24 (22 by KO)
- Defeats: 1
- Ties: 1
Similarly to the Ukrainian, Anthony Joshua has not returned to the ring since the previous meeting between the two fighters, and will be looking forward to this rematch to regain his honor after being outlanded by 148 punches to 123 in the first edition of this fight.
When we say he will be eager, we mean it, as it was reported that Anthony Joshua was quick to exercise the rematch clause after his loss to Usyk, although the fight date was postponed due to the war in Ukraine.
However, Joshua will have to rethink his strategy since the two defeats in his career came during his last four fights, so the preparation for this bout will have to be right if he wants to leave Saudi Arabia with his name in the heavyweight category in style.
JefeBet Prediction
Oleksandr Usyk’s performances in his recent fights have been excellent, and here at JefeBet we believe he could give another boxing lesson in this rematch. Besides, the odds offered by the bookmakers for his victory are quite good.
Anthony Joshua has been faltering in recent years. Besides, the 32-year-old Englishman may no longer have the skills he once had, but he will have to show otherwise by stepping into the ring.
