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ANTHONY JOSHUA VS USYK 2: Round by round details, as Usyk defeats Joshua again

ANTHONY JOSHUA VS USYK 2: Round by round details, as Usyk defeats Joshua again

The highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua versus Oleksandr Usyk rematch was fought in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the Arabian Desert meets the Red Sea.

At 10:58 pm, Joshua stepped out of his locker room and began his run-up into the ring clad in all black. The rematch is tagged ‘Rage on the Red Sea’.

The former champion looked extremely trim, relaxed and focused on his goal of reclaiming his WBA, IBF and WBC titles from Ukrainian Usyk.

Shortly after, the defending champion Usyk walked into the ring wearing a T-shirt with the inscription ‘Colors of Freedom’.

Expectedly, the British anthem came first for Joshua as both fighters walked around the ring staring each other down. Usyk’s Ukrainian anthem then came on.

Round One: Tight start

It’s a tentative start as neither Joshua nor Usyk landed anything of note in an opening couple of minutes.

It finally opened up a bit in the closing minute as Usyk landed a solid lead right hand before Joshua attacked the body.

Usyk landed his best-left hand of the round in the final seconds, and it’s certainly a very tight opener.

A cagey first round, with Joshua looking, focused and maintaining his guard while Usyk tried to find his range and searching with his jabs.

Both fighters tested each other with body shots in the early moments of the fight with Joshua matching his opponent by landing some blows of his own but needed to let loose in order to win on the scorecards against the Ukrainian.

Round 2

In round two, Joshua connected with Usyk’s face with a solid hit that stunned the Ukrainian before he pushed on.

A confident Joshua stepped into Usyk’s space landing hits on Usyk’s side and face with Usyk stepping back and holding on to Joshua.

Joshua didn’t stop! Landed another punch at Usyk’s side and jaw. The Ukrainian backstepped but was still able to land three jabs on Joshua, who landed a final hit before the second round got stopped. Joshua was dominant and confident.

Round 3

It remained very tight in the opening couple of minutes of the third.

Usyk landed a couple of good shots in the final minute before Joshua responded with a clubbing right hook which was partially blocked by the Ukrainian.

It’s another very tight round that could probably be scored either way, but surely Joshua couldn’t get into another pure boxing exchange with his opponent.

Another good round from Joshua, he certainly grew in confidence and landed a big right hook in the last round!

Round 4

The pattern we saw in the early rounds continued as it’s pretty circumspect stuff to start with, before it opened up in the final minute.

Usyk landed first once more, but Joshua again had a response as he fired off a couple of right hands of his own.

The round ended with Joshua countering another Usyk attack and the Brit walked back to his corner with a smile on his face.

The fight opened up in the fourth round as Usyk released a barrage of blows to Joshua, but the former champion was able to respond to what his opponent threw at him.

Joshua launched a big combination as the bell rang and was certainly easing up as the fight continued.

Round 5

It’s a slightly more active start to the round, before Joshua landed a shot that referee Luis Pabon said was low and allows Usyk time to recover.

When the fight resumed, Joshua landed another vicious right hand to the body, but Usyk came back moments later with a nice counter.

The champion found a home for a heavy left hand of his own, which Joshua took well, before the Brit landed a right hand in the dying moments that may have seen him edge the round.

Round 6

It’s Usyk’s turn to land a good body shot early in the sixth, but Joshua took it pretty well.

Usyk was having his best round as he continued to pepper Joshua with punches, and despite one good flurry from the Brit, that was definitely Usyk’s round.

It’s certainly tight at the halfway stage, but many expected Usyk to be the fighter that would come on stronger in the second half of the fight, as he did in London last year.

Round 7

Joshua appeard to be having a better round as he took the centre of the ring for an opening couple of minutes, but it’s Usyk who landed the most meaningful punches as he got on top in the final 60 seconds.

Joshua took a sweetly timed left hand well, but looked a little frustrated as he headed back to his corner.

Round 8

Joshua continued to take a fair amount of punishment from Usyk, but this time had some success of his own as he unleashed a combination of body shots.

It’s definitely the most aggression from AJ, but he certainly took his fair share of shots as well.

Round 9

Anthony Joshua finally broke through the defences of Usyk and got his opponent on the run.

Usyk is forced to hold on as Joshua stalked him around the ring. The Brit was however unable to land anything truly clean.

In his best round so far, Joshua looked composed but needed to find three more similar rounds against a tiring Usyk in order to win this fight.

Round 10

Oleksandr Usyk responded in style to Joshua’s best period of the contest and had the Brit badly shaken for the first time in the fight.

Joshua looked in deep trouble before a big right hand of his own suddenly leaves Usyk looking troubled once more.

But after some brief respite, it’s Usyk who’s back on the attack in the final stages, once more leaving Joshua in trouble.

Round 11

Usyk controled the early stages of the round but Joshua once more found success as he landed to the body.

It’s a pretty even round, but with Usyk surely ahead on the cards.

Round 12

Usyk had Joshua on the back foot early but the Brit courageously comes forward and momentarily stops his opponent in his tracks.

Joshua didn’t have enough left in the tank to sustain the attack, and it’s Usyk who repeatedly landed in the closing minute.

The Ukrainian had surely done enough to retain his titles.

 

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