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Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to have a mega rematch on August 20, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The unified WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF World Heavyweight Championships will be on the line.
Usyk is the current champion after he upset Joshua in London in September 2021. Former WBO Super Cruiserweight Champion Usyk earned the fight as he was made a mandatory challenger by the WBO for his exploits at cruiserweight and prior wins at heavyweight. Usyk won the World Boxing Super Series to become the Undisputed Champion at cruiserweight.
Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has remained at heavyweight his entire career. The Brit was only defeated once before his loss to Usyk, against Andy Ruiz. Joshua won the rematch in Saudi Arabia. Joshua is one of the biggest stars in boxing, especially in the United Kingdom where he regularly sells out stadiums.
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Both fighters are also highly decorated amateurs, and thus faced a lot of pressure entering their professional careers. So far, both fighters have lived up to their billing and have won multiple world championships and featured in some of boxing’s biggest events.
One of the proudest moments in the career of any fighter is representing their country at the Olympics. Joshua and Usyk not only managed this but both won gold medals at London 2012.
Anthony Joshua’s win
The 2012 London Olympics were very special for Anthony Joshua. ‘AJ’ had the opportunity to compete in front of crowds of fans that were all cheering for the Team GB fighter.
Joshua competed in the super heavyweight division(+91kg). Being the heaviest of all categories, most eyes would be on Joshua's career before he had even turned professional. Heavier weightclasses garner more interest due to the chance of a knockout being increased. Britain also had history in the weight class, with Audley Harrison winning gold at the Sydney 2000 Games.
In his first fight at the Olympics, Anthony Joshua faced Erislandy Savón. In a close bout, Joshua was narrowly awarded the victory with a score of 17-16. The scoring was hugely controversial as many felt that Savón deserved to raise his hand at the end of the bout. At the 2016 Olympics, Savón defeated Anthony Joshua protégé Lawrence Okolie, and eventually win bronze.
Watch the bout and make up your own mind here:
In the next round, Joshua faced another Matchroom Boxing fighter, China’s Zhilei Zhang. Zhang and Joshua have long been rumored to have a lucrative bout in China.
When the pair met at the Olympics, Joshua won decisively. The scorecard read 15-11, but it did not tell the whole story of the fight. Anthony Joshua would put Zhilei Zhang on the canvas. Spurred on by a hometown crowd, Joshua looked like a star.
In the semi-final, Joshua would come against a fighter with a significant height advantage. 6’ 9" Ivan Dychko was the opponent with an opportunity to make the final on the line. Once again, the atmosphere was boisterous as Joshua received a reception louder than most fighters would receive in their entire careers. ‘AJ’ did not let his fans down, winning the bout 13-11.
Anthony Joshua faced Roberto Cammarelle in the final for an Olympic gold medal. Cammarelle started the bout stronger and had a 13-10 lead going into the final round.
In dramatic fashion, Joshua would come back and the scores would finish level 18-18. Joshua was awarded the victory by virtue of count-back. The crowd erupted as Joshua was crowned the Olympic Super Heavyweight Champion.
Oleksandr Usyk’s Olympic Journey
At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Oleksandr Usyk competed in the heavyweight division. The weight-class was one below the super heavyweight division Joshua competed in.
Usyk’s Olympic journey began against one of the most ferocious punchers in boxing today, Artur Beterbiev. Usyk entered the Olympics as the World Amateur Champion and therefore received a bye into the quarter-finals. Beterbiev defeated Michael Hunter in the previous round.
In a highly competitive fight, Beterbiev and Usyk both landed punches on each other. Usyk was awarded the 17-13 victory, but it was not straightforward.
Watch Beterbiev and Usyk box a year prior here:
In the semi-final, Usyk came up against Tervel Pulev. Tervel is the younger brother of heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev. In his most significant bout, he recently faced Sergey Kovalev. Usyk was impressive and showcased the boxing skills that have led him to the position he is in today. In a dominant performance, Usyk won 21-5.
In the final, Oleksandr Usyk faced a familiar foe. Clemente Russo defeated Usyk at the previous Olympics in Beijing in 2008. In the same year, Russo defeated Deontay Wilder. Russo, who has never turned professional, won a silver medal in 2008, and Usyk made sure it was another silver in 2012. The Ukrainian outpointed his opponent 14-11, and a star was born.
