British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua has expressed his strong belief that Oleksandr Usyk will triumph once again over Tyson Fury.
Note that Usyk and Fury will face off in a highly anticipated rematch scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the bout, Anthony Joshua, who faced Usyk in two intense bouts in 2021 and 2022—both resulting in defeats—has questioned Fury’s ability to overcome the Ukrainian’s considerable skill and tactical discipline.
In an interview with IFL TV, Joshua stated, “I’ve maintained since 2023 that Usyk will win this matchup. Although I acknowledge that Fury is indeed a talented fighter, there are different levels to this game.”
Joshua added, “While I don’t think Fury underestimated Usyk, his comments about middleweights reveal a tendency to overlook a fighter’s capabilities. That’s a mistake anyone can make.”
Fury suffered his first career defeat to Usyk in May during a demanding contest that featured a particularly punishing ninth round, where Fury showed remarkable resilience just to survive. Immediately after the match, Fury activated his rematch clause and expressed his determination to reclaim victory without letting the judges influence the outcome.
Despite this, Anthony Joshua remains sceptical about Fury’s chances of success in the rematch. He urged Fury to approach Usyk with the respect he merits. “I just don’t see it happening. No way,” Joshua declared.
“While I concede that Fury had some commendable moments in the ring, I sincerely doubt that he can secure a win over Usyk. I think it would serve Fury well to acknowledge Usyk’s abilities more fully next time, which could lead to a more competitive performance.”
