Oleksandr Usyk compared to Mike Tyson by a potential future opponent ahead of the Anthony Joshua rematch- "He looks dangerous"
The rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua has all the makings of a heavyweight fight that the entire boxing world will be tuning in for.
As the bout continues to inch closer, both camps have released footage of their fighters working hard in training. In said footage, Oleksandr Usyk appears to have put on some muscle during his recent training:
This was also pointed out by British Heavyweight boxer and potential heavyweight title challenger Joe Joyce. During a recent interview with Seconds Out, WBO’s No.1-ranked heavyweight admired Usyk’s shape and shared his excitement for the heavyweight showdown:
“Looking at Usyk now, he looks dangerous, man. He has put on some size. He’s doing the Mike Tyson-esque bobbing and weaving. He’s upping his game. Joshua has also upped his game. Can’t wait to see it,” the “Juggernaut” said.
Listen to the full interview with Joe Joyce below:
Joe Joyce is the No.1 contender for the WBO heavyweight belt. The bout between Usyk and Joshua, with the addition of Fury's vacated Ring belt, will be for all the major heavyweight titles in the world. If things pan out in the favor of former Olympian Joyce, he might well be in line to face the winner of the bout, especially after Tyson Fury reaffirmed his retirement.
Can Oleksandr Usyk be a modern era Tyson?
It isn’t that hard to see where Joyce’s comparison of Oleksandr Usyk to Tyson is coming from. Tyson was slighter in stature compared to his heavyweight peers throughout his illustrious career; however, he utilized his power and incredible speed to achieve vicious knockouts regardless of his size.
Usyk, even in his days as a cruiserweight, has always been regarded as an extremely swift fighter. That speed and agility was in display in his first fight against Joshua.
Going into the second, as is evident from his training footage, Usyk has appeared to gain significant musculature. Usyk is currently weighing in at 221lbs, which is the heaviest in his career.
On the way!#UsykJoshua2 #SaudiArabia https://t.co/YvRY2Qcf62
Tyson’s weight throughout his career fluctuated between 217 and 223 pounds. He was also known to incorporate a mixture of anaerobic and aerobic exercises in his training.
Usyk's strategy for his rematch Anthony Joshua is yet to be seen. Whether Tyson's bobbing and weaving style will be effective against AJ, who in his own right is a master of technique, is still questionable.
What isn’t a subject of debate is that the hype behind the second clash continues to build as the Usyk-Joshua rematch draws ever closer.