Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk will be ‘easier’ than the first fight due to the Brit having a better understanding of what to expect. Joshua was comfortably outpointed by the Ukrainian back in September as he dropped his WBA (super), IBF, and WBO heavyweight world titles on home soil at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
After the fight, ‘AJ’ was criticised for being ‘too timid’ and was even labelled as a ‘rabbit stuck in the headlights’ by heavyweight contender Hughie Fury. But now, with a greater knowledge of the threats Usyk poses, Hearn is confident that Joshua will rebound from the loss and become a three-time heavyweight champion of the world in Saudi Arabia.
“I had conversations with AJ on Thursday and Friday of the first fight that I didn’t really like, just about the tactics of the fight – what he thought he could do in the fight and obviously now there is a real trickery with Oleksandr Usyk about getting in the ring with him, the unexpected,” Hearn told Boxing Social.
You know when someone talks about how good someone is and what a genius someone is and what magic they’ve got up their sleeve? You’re almost drained before you’ve even experienced it. ‘Oh yeah, everybody says he does that, oh yeah his feet are so good’. It happened to Bellew a little bit in that fight.
“It doesn’t mean he can overcome it, but I just think it’s easier for someone like ‘AJ’ to get his head around what he needs to do in this fight having experienced 12 rounds with him.”
The pair square off for a second time on August 20 at the King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, live on Sky Sports Box Office for three of the four major world titles. Alongside the belts which changed hands in London, the Ring Magazine strap has been added to the prize pool after Tyson Fury vacated the lineal crown following his re-retirement last week.