Anthony Joshua Opens Up As Big Betting Favourite Over Oleksandr Usyk
IT’S OFFICIAL! Anthony Joshua is set to put his IBF, WBA, and WBO heavyweight belts on the line against Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on September 25.
The Englishman is considered a big favourite to defend his titles by the oddsmakers who have him priced as low as -333 to beat Usyk.
In contrast, the odds of Usyk becoming the heavyweight champion in September are pretty long. The Ukrainian can be found at odds as high as +250.
If you’re going to be betting on this fight or any other boxing match remember to always search for the best offers to ensure you get all of the top betting promotions.
So, why is Anthony Joshua such a big favorite in this fight?
A lot of it has to do with size. The Olympic gold medallist is one of the biggest heavyweight fighters in boxing. ‘AJ’ couldn’t cut down to cruiserweight if his life depended on it. Whereas the best version of Usyk was at 200lbs, the weight he became an undisputed champion at.
Despite what his critics may think, Joshua has undeniably one of the best resumes at heavyweight. The 31-year-old has picked up several high-profile wins throughout his career over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin, Dominic Breazeale, Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Andy Ruiz, and Kubrat Pulev.
Many believe if there’s a chink in the armor of Joshua it may be his chin. The three-belt champion famously lost his belts when he first fought Ruiz in 2019. Joshua was hit and hurt early and never really recovered before being stopped in round seven. Although he has since avenged that defeat, questions remain about what many believe is a suspect chin.
Luckily for Joshua, Usyk is certainly not a puncher – especially at heavyweight. ‘The Cat’ has scored 13 KO’s during his 18-fight career, but nine of those finishes became before he reached world level. From that point, Usyk has worn fighters down throughout his fights rather than score quick KO wins.
So, when you consider Joshua’s size, heavyweight pedigree, and Usyk’s perceived inability to land knockout blows, it’s understandable that ‘AJ’ is the favorite but in our opinion, the odds are too wide in his favor.
Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk is the most credentialed fighter Joshua has faced since Klitschko. As we mentioned earlier the Simferopol native has enjoyed one of the most illustrious careers in cruiserweight history. Usyk beat Krzysztof Głowacki, Michael Hunter, Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev, and Tony Bellew on route to becoming the first 200lb fighter in boxing history to hold all four major world titles.
Usyk has immense boxing ability that saw him claim gold at the London Olympics in 2012. The size difference simply will not matter if Usyk is able to utilize his superior boxing skills. We believe he is more than capable of dancing around Joshua all night before finding a late finish or picking up a unanimous decision win.
The former cruiserweight kings’ chances in this fight all depend on what version of Joshua shows up. Derrick Chisora appears to have laid the blueprint for beating Usyk at heavyweight. ‘Del Boy’ pushed Usyk all the way by applying lots of pressure and winging heavy shots. Joshua of old would likely employ these tactics, but in the last few fights, we’ve seen a more calm, patient, and relaxed version of Joshua, so who knows what will happen. We are simply excited to watch this mammoth heavyweight bout on September 25.
Who do you think will win on September 25? Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk?
