September 21, 2024

Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua RESULT: Usyk WINS rematch and calls out Tyson Fury, but angry AJ kicks off before giving passionate speech in defeat

What is AJ #WhatisAJ

Oleksandr Usyk conquered Anthony Joshua once again to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles on Saturday night on Saudi Arabia.

AJ gave an unexpected, angry reaction as he stormed from the ring not long after the final bell, only to return and give a passionate speech soon afterwards.

Usyk was too good for Joshua

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Usyk was too good for Joshua

The fight began with a tentative opening round as Usyk applied his typical elusive movement and landed a couple of straight lefts while Joshua fired off right hands to the body.

AJ appeared hesitant in the second, wary of counter-punches from his wily opponent.

Despite this though, he was able to find a home for a couple of hard body shots once again.

In round three, a similar pattern followed with Usyk seeming to land a slightly higher volume of punches, while Joshua picked his moments for hard blows to the body.

The Brit gained confidence in the fourth as he became more comfortable landing consistent shots, and the fight began to burst into life as the Ukrainian responded.

Usyk upped his tempo, but Joshua matched him in a couple of fascinating exchanges.

AJ had issues landing clean on Usyk again

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

AJ had issues landing clean on Usyk again

There was a break in the action in round five as AJ hit his opponent with a low blow which caused him to recoil in pain.

Both men landed hard body shots in the remainder of the session.

The sixth was a positive session for Usyk as Joshua’s right eye began to swell slightly, as it had in their first meeting.

For the first time in the fight, the Ukrainian began to find a home for consistent combinations and seemed to be getting into his rhythm.

Usyk was hurt with a low blow

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Usyk was hurt with a low blow

As they entered the second half, a more tentative pattern re-emerged.

The contest appeared very difficult to score at times with little between the two men in several of the rounds.

On the whole though, at the conclusion of the eighth, Usyk appeared to be firmly in command.

Joshua was able to make a dent with he occasional hard body shot, but could not do so often enough to outweigh the sheer number of head shots landed by the Ukrainian.

In round nine, AJ appeared to recognise this and so upped the tempo.

Joshua did have positive moments in the fight

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Joshua did have positive moments in the fight

For the first time in the fight, he opened up and fired away at Usyk, seeming to genuinely trouble him for the first time in either of their bouts.

The Ukrainian weathered the storm though and made it to the bell as the Brit smiled at him after his onslaught.

At the start of the tenth, Usyk responded with brutality of his own.

This time the champion upped the tempo and teed off on his challenger.

AJ was beaten by the better man

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

AJ was beaten by the better man

All of a sudden though, Joshua hammered Usyk with an enormous right hand.

Remarkably, the Ukrainian took the punch and stayed on his feet, quickly returning to his position on the front foot with the Brit looking hurt as the bell rang.

In round 11, AJ refused to give up and momentarily turned the tide with a solid body shot.

Again though, Usyk seized back the momentum with a series of rapid-fire, accurate combinations.

There was initially respect after the final bell

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

There was initially respect after the final bell

But something angered Joshua

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

But something angered Joshua

He stormed from the ring and had to be calmed down

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

He stormed from the ring and had to be calmed down

He then returned and gave a passionate speech about his boxing journey

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

He then returned and gave a passionate speech about his boxing journey

As they entered the final round, just as in the first fight, the Ukrainian attempted to dominate once again.

Joshua tried to throw caution to the wind in response, but was countered by stinging blows whenever he had any success.

By the end of the bout, the Brit was hanging on – well beaten once again.

Two judges rightly scored the fight for the champion who retained his titles by split decision with scores of 115-113 Joshua, 115-113 Usyk, 116-112 Usyk.

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