Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2: Preview & Predictions

The stage is set, the Jeddah Superdome is ready to soak in all sweats, and it’s time for the “Rage on the Red sea.”

Nigerian-born British boxer Anthony Joshua (32) will be seeking redemption when he faces Oleksandr Usyk (35), who is with renewed motivation in the desert sands of Jeddah.

The initial bout between both fighters in London, saw the former cruiserweight champion dominate and eventually defeat Anthony Joshua, in what to be very honest was a one-sided bout.

Though many expect a repeat of the first bout, one thing you can be assured of is the fact this fight is sure to be one laced with fireworks.

 For Anthony Joshua, it’s a fight that could revive as well as put a damning end to his slowly declining career, while for Oleksandr Usyk, it’s a fight for the people of Ukraine. The speedy slick southpaw had to get needed permission from his country’s minister of sports to compete in this fight.

Hoping not to disappoint their respective camps, a few factors have been observed to be crucial to who wins this bout;

ANTHONY JOSHUA:

For Anthony Joshua who reportedly acted quickly to invoke the rematch clause, upon losing his belts in the first meeting between these pair, has been advised to reconsider his approach, given both of his career defeats have occurred in his previous four fights.

As a result, Joshua’s fight must be flawless if he hopes to leave Saudi Arabia with a strong reputation in the heavyweight division.

Going by the advice of former heavyweight champion Iron Mike Tyson, Joshua has to put a lot of pressure on Usyk 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.

“Because he moves so much, the jab is educated and he just outsmarts the guy.”

Joshua surely has no intention of trying to outbox Usyk a second time around, saying: "The goal now is to go back to basics and go for the knockout.”

OLEKSANDR USYK:

Usyk has put up fantastic performances in his most recent fights and will think this rematch as an opportunity to extend his 19-0 career winning streak.

The Southpaw will hope to capitalize on Anthony Joshua’s weak jaws and struggling feet as he did in the first bout, where he outboxed the Brit.

Being the odds on favorite, the Ukrainian gave little information to the press. Though he admitted he does expect to be heavier for this rematch than he was in the first fight.

 Which for many seems like a sign that Usyk intends to stand his ground and go for a knockout on Saturday.

The “Gypsy King” Tyson Fury, had a few words to say ahead of the fight. The former WBC champion, ahead of this significant fight said Usyk will be ‘too cute’ for Anthony Joshua when the heavyweight rivals battle for the second time in Jeddah.

PREDICTIONS:

Usyk has already proven to be a master of technical ability in the sweet science, so Joshua will have to attempt to score a TKO/KO against the tenured fighter because it’s not likely that he could genuinely outbox him.

WHERE TO BET:

With the ecstasy and a lot of excitement in the air, quite a lot of boxing lovers are expected to place bets on this bout. A few sports betting sites including betBonanza are providing a betting code and special offers for this rumble.