On June 20th,Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 became official. It's been just "official" for weeks since Usyk announced he was leaving his native Ukraine to train for a rematch for the heavyweight title, but a lengthy process to confirm dates and venues. After the battle finally ended {7}.
What is the italicized "on" because Joshua's promoter Eddie Hahn first guaranteed his June match date and mentioned a possible rematch? It lasted for weeks. Its located in London like his predecessor. But claims of a spring clash were superseded by a proposal for a July date, and soon gave way to hints of an August contest, with Britain wanting to see one of its starfighters in action on home turf. 's fan hopes were quickly dismantled. 'AJ' lost to Usyk in his September, and it was Saudi Arabia who became the clear frontrunners to host the match.
And Joshua vs Usyk 2 finally officially took place in Jeddah. The prize is his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts for Ukraine.
The obvious question is whether #RageOnTheRedSea is Joshua's last chance to set up an in-ring meeting with Tyson Fury. did his last dance.
Most people would say yes, but Joshua, 32, felt the same when he was knocked out by Andy Ruiz Jr. three years before him. However, AJ responded with a mature performance in his late 2019, surpassing Lewis Jr and regaining the heavyweight belt. When the Brits lost them again, this time to Usyk last fall, the chance of a clash with Fury waned to just a possibility and then - Fury after knocking out Dillian White in April - unlikely.
And if Joshua loses to Usyk again, it's almost certain that we won't see that British heavyweight unification match. It will be a losing battle for this generation, at least in the UK.
If Joshua loses again to the undefeated Ukrainian, there will be louder calls for his retirement and many voices. For Joshua, it looks like he was designed from his birth and later molded by Hahn to become a heavyweight champion, but doesn't have to be defined by that status. His career doesn't have to be defined by the odds of fighting Fury, either.
Of course, he could easily enter the next phase of his life as a promoter and model, but it would feel like a waste of Olympic gold medalist ability. Many of his loyal fans were quick to ridicule Joshua as an impostor, protected en route to a heavyweight gold medal, and later exposed in a fight with an aged Wladimir Klitschko. } The truth is Joshua isn't the smartest, most adaptable heavyweight in the world, but he has clean fundamentals and formidable knockout power. Just because he may not be destined to fight WBC champion Fury, who is his exact opposite in many ways, his career comes to an abrupt end due to lack of a title and avoidance of a match with 'Gypsy' It doesn't mean you have to. King ".
"If we lose, we will lose to his No. 1 in pound for pound, then regroup and go again."Hahn said The Independent toldthis summer. } .
Anthony Joshua was comprehensively noted by Oleksandr Usyk in September
(Getty Images)
"But it's clear you want to win. If he wins, I believe there will be a fight with Tyson Fury. If he doesn't win, He will be back in the competition again.”
There is nothing wrong with Joshua being a contender. In fact, the position could open up the most interesting phase of AJ's career. Medalist Joe Joyce,, up-and-coming Daniel Dubois.
and if all goes well, a period like that could put Joshua back in the line for a title shot.
Remember if that's really how Joshua works - Knockout and most of the rest - is it really that bad?
