Speaking about the possible transformation of Joshua after the first fight, we forget that Usyk also learned his lessons and conclusions from the confrontation
A vivid image of the Ukrainian Cossack, catching four coins at once with one hand, dancing in the ring and external equanimity – the WBA/WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk at press events before the rematch with Anthony Joshua, who, in fact, , and selected championship belts last fall was true to himself. But, perhaps, the most interesting thing was that after the traditional open training of boxers, no one raised the question that the Ukrainian gained weight – in any case, this version was actively exaggerated after the publication of videos and photos from Usyk’s training camp.
Now, either the magic of the Ukrainian worked again, or Usyk is in the usual weight, and the photos themselves that got into the network were taken in the middle of the Ukrainian’s training camp. The second is quite likely from the point of view of physiology. The body of Oleksandr, who, according to promoters, found himself in a difficult psychological state, like all Ukrainians, and physical, due to participation in the territorial defense, lost about 10-15 kilograms after the start of the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, with the start of the usual rhythm and active training activities began to compensate for what was lost.
We will find out how much Alexander gained in weight today – at 15:00 in Jeddah, the official weighing ceremony for Usyk and Joshua will begin. The Ukrainian himself, answering a question about his weight a week before the fight, was rather evasive: “I think that for a hundred”. But the fact is that Usyk weighed “for a hundred” in the first fight with Joshua, then showing a record weight in his career – 100.3 kg. And, by the way, outwardly, Usyk now does not look more than his version of the September 2021 sample. But there is no doubt about this – the Ukrainian is in excellent shape before the rematch. And some secrets of Usyk’s readiness were revealed by his manager Egis Klimas.
The fact that Usyk is a phenomenal athlete, everyone knew for a long time. But here’s what’s so… “I’ve never seen anyone ride a bike 100 kilometers in 45-degree heat. I have never seen anyone swim 10 kilometers in a pool in five hours the day before a press conference in London. I have never seen anyone hold their breath underwater for four minutes and 40 seconds, almost dying. I hope that all this will help him on Saturday evening,” the well-known journalist Den Rafael quoted Klimas as saying at a press conference in Jeddah. Usyk’s preparation for the fight took five months and it seems that the Ukrainian did not waste time in vain. Although, with what inner feelings he was preparing for the fight, one can only guess.
Usik left Ukraine at the end of March, when the situation on the fronts near Kyiv and Chernigov began to develop in favor of our country, and the boxer himself consulted a lot about his departure with relatives and the military, some of whom will be present at his fight with Joshua.
“When we watched the video of Usyk from the training camp, we realized that he looked like a cyborg. He went through hell in a training camp. It didn’t kill him, but it made him stronger. I have never seen him more determined than now. It was an extremely difficult challenge for him, but he seems to have coped with it, ”said Alexander Krasyuk, general director of the promotional company K2, representing the interests of Usyk in this fight.
And therefore, when discussing how Joshua will change in comparison with the first fight, we must not forget that Usyk can also change. Although Alexander himself believes that the fight in Jeddah will be a continuation of their London fight with Joshua.
“I understand that this will be our second fight and Anthony probably reviewed our first fight. But this will not be a new fight, it will be a continuation of the first. Round thirteen, fourteen, fifteen… I don’t know how many there will be. We had enough time to study each other. There will be a very good fight on Saturday evening, ”Usyk said.
We believe and wait! The victory is very necessary. And equally to everyone: the country, the boxer, the fans!
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
