Rage on the Red Sea: Oleksandr Usyk Vs Anthony Joshua
Oleksandr Usyk catapulted to the top of the heavyweight category when he outmatched Anthony Joshua in their first fight in September, winning three of the four main heavyweight belts.
The athletic world will be watching the “Rage on the Red Sea” boxing battle between world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and challenger Anthony Joshua this week in Jeddah.
In one of boxing’s most anticipated rematches, Usyk will defend his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles against former two-time undisputed champion Joshua, live from Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Arena.
The winner will also receive the Ring Magazine title, which Tyson Fury relinquished last week.
This time, Joshua enters the ring as a challenger rather than a champion, despite the fact that “AJ” has previously exacted retribution and swiftly recovered belts in Saudi Arabia. In December 2019, Riyadh staged the legendary “Clash on the Dunes,” in which Joshua overcame Andy Ruiz Jr. on points to avenge his shocking setback a year earlier.
Joshua, who is 32 years old, was beaten by the fast and smooth southpaw in their fight in Tottenham last September. Mike Tyson could see this happening again.
“It’s gonna be hard to beat Usyk because he’s fast and he outpunched Joshua with his jab. Joshua has to learn to deal with his jab,” remarked Tyson.
“He’s too fast for Joshua. Joshua has to put a lot of pressure on him and keep it on him all night. He’s a powerful puncher, but he’s not as accurate – you’ve gotta be accurate against a guy like that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Usyk has gone unbeaten in his professional career. The former undisputed cruiserweight world champion has successfully transitioned to heavyweight and is widely regarded as the world’s finest fighter pound-for-pound.
Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz, chairman of Skill Challenge Entertainment, explained: “International boxing spectacles are always special, not least because of the activities and events (that are) part of the pre-fight build-up. History illustrates that the days leading up to massive fights live long in the memory of everyone involved, from fans to media, promotors to sponsors, the fighters themselves to their teams and families.
“They are a traditional yet integral component of local, regional, and international promotion and contribute to the acclaim these events receive and the legacy they leave behind. As such, we are delighted that the time has finally come for Jeddah to host Rage on the Red Sea fight week. Jeddah is ready to welcome the world once more while showcasing precisely (why) it has become the new home for Middle Eastern sport.”
The event on August 20 will also feature the first ever women’s boxing battle in Saudi Arabia, as well as the presence of Arab rising star Ziyad Al-Maayouf.
Usyk has the extra motivation of fighting for his nation and his people, which has pushed him to work even harder in preparation for the rematch.
“I will not tell you much about my strategy. I am a bit heavier than I was last time,” Usyk told reporters. “I’m not sure the weight I’m going to be walking to the ring, we’re going to see it on Friday. I’m not a big forecaster. You’ll see Saturday night, I’ll just do my job, what I have to do.”
“It’s important because the war is taking place and we have to help people,” he stated. “Because this is something that is happening in our hearts and our assignment is to keep positive and keep other people positive.”
