Light the blue touchpaper – and of course Get Ready To Rumble. The champion came among us all smiles and glad-handing those of his followers within touching distance, to flames and a fusillade of fireworks.
Then Usyk made the long walk to the ring in the centre circle of a football field to a fairly muted reception. The mindless ritual booing of the foreign anthem was followed by an ear-splitting rendition of God Save The Queen. Not as much money in beating Usyk and the long-awaited mega-fight would be at the least delayed even further. The working title for this fight read Journey To Undisputed and Fury was among those with a vested interest in Joshua being victorious. And he has added a few pounds of muscle since then. Not that Usyk’s chin had ever shown so much as a hint of vulnerability during his undefeated dominance at the lower weight – nor against Chisora for that matter. Glimpses of evidence to support that contention had come when the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion had failed to put any real dent in Dereck Chisora despite winning his second fight at heavyweight on points.īut we were looking for a sense of urgency in Joshua to get the job done before being drawn into a prolonged and complex contest by one of the most highly technical boxers in the world. Whether the proof of that would be forthcoming in this glorious setting was the major question of the night. Usyk steadfastly denied any hint of nerves about facing the bigger, stronger, natural heavyweight champion but Joshua had reminded him: ‘It’s very different facing me in the ring than at the weigh-in.’ Pale-faced, too, although throughout the long week of build up to what he has called the biggest fight of his life that had been his customary pallor. Where he was smiling and relaxed as he chatted with his team, the normally jocular Usyk was stern-faced, serious and focussed on messages on his mobile. When Joshua’s arrival at the ground lit up the big screens they gave vent to roars which he could hear in the bowels of the building and he responded with a military salute. So desperate was the appetite to take in the atmosphere of British boxing’s first big-crowd night out since the onset of Covid. That's what fighters should do but tonight he came off second best. But he is facing a pound-for-pound great, he is consistently facing the best. That for me was an average performance from Anthony Joshua, he can do so much better than that fight. Usyk was the deserved winner and he's got to make changes for the rematch. I had it reasonably close in the eighth round but then Usyk ran away with it. The fighter in AJ is saying 'I will win the rematch'. He was beaten by a better man on the night. We have been here before, that was different. No complaints from AJ, he will come again. He was really good tonight and he goes down in history. Uysk is very fit, he's got great feet it's all the things you worry about against a fighter like Usyk. That was always really the danger, trying to be too technical, not using your attributes. A devastating defeat, congrats to Oleksandr Usyk the better fighter won. Wants to train straight away, they are looking at the eye socket. I spoke to him, obviously it was tough fight, gruelling fight, he's not quite talking the way you'd expect at the moment. The majority of this human tidal wave refrained from cooling off in the bars, hurrying instead to begin filling the 67,000 seats hours before Usyk and Joshua would come to the ring. The trains to stations within walking distance of the new home of the Spurs were as socially distanced as tins of sardines. The attention an exhausted Joshua needed in his corner at the end, not least for a damaged eye, and the probability of a trip to hospital also told the upset story.Īs did the muted crowd who did not get the jubilant night they had come expecting to see. The three official scores for a unanimous decision – 117-112, 116-112, 115-113- flattered Joshua. Usyk was never going to be diverted from joining Evander Holyfield and David Haye among the ranks of cruiserweight kings to be crowned world heavyweight champion. The fight was effectively over by half time in this football ground and the odd flourish from Joshua was nowhere near enough to turn the scoreline. It was sad to a British world champion so diminished but at the same time it was a delight to witness such a genius craftsman go to work. When he tried to impose his size with lunges it came too late and lacked belief. Round after round went by with Joshua lumbering after the bewildering maestro of movement, rapier southpaw jabbing, lightning combinations and rasping left hands.
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