Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Photo / AP
Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Photo / AP
Oleksandr Usyk ended Anthony Joshua's second reign as world heavyweight champion today with a unanimous points win in just his third fight since stepping up from the cruiserweight division.
Usyk became the third man, after Evander Holyfield and David Haye, to win world titles at cruiserweight then heavyweight. Six yearsafter Wladimir Klitschko's long heavyweight reign ended, Ukraine has another champion in boxing's marquee division.
Joshua could not cope with Usyk's superior reflexes and punching power, especially off his left, and ended the fight slumped on the ropes after a flurry of punches by the mandatory challenger to his WBO belt.
"He (Joshua) will want to go straight back into the rematch.
"The desire is still there. He can do so much better in that fight."
Boxing world reacts
Journalist Barry Anderson said Usyk's performance was "one of the most intelligent bouts of boxing I've ever seen" while combat sports reporter Kevin Iole called it an "unreal fight".
Boxing correspondent Al Dawson added: "A deserved victory after a masterclass performance in London. Unbelievable to clear out the cruiserweight division, and then pick Anthony Joshua apart in style in front of 70,000; one of the biggest stages."
