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’He’s going to get knocked out!’: Eddie Hearn believes Oleksandr Usyk’s massive muscle gain will lead to Anthony Joshua knocking the champion out as the promoter insists the fight won’t go past round six
- Eddie Hearn expects Anthony Joshua to knock out Oleksandr Usyk next week
- The duo face off in an eagerly-anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday
- Usyk won the first fight by unanimous decision in London last September
- He has since put on a lot of mass, which Hearn thinks will benefit the Brit
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Eddie Hearn expects a ‘really big, aggressive’ Oleksandr Usyk to get knocked out when the Ukrainian fights Antony Joshua in their heavyweight rematch next week.
Usyk defeated ‘AJ’ by unanimous decision in their first bout back in September 2021, winning the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles in the process.
The two will contest an eagerly-anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia on August 20, and promotor Hearn, via Boxing Social, has predicted that Joshua will knock out his opponent ‘in six rounds’.
Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua will knock out Oleksandr Usyk next week
Usyk, who is undefeated as a professional, has put on a lot of mass since he last fought
Recent social media footage has shown Usyk’s new figure as he prepares for the rematch against Joshua.
The 35-year-old has clearly put on a lot of mass since their last fight, but Hearn expects that to benefit Joshua rather than Usyk himself.
‘He [Usyk] looks really big,’ Hearn said. ‘I expect him to try and walk AJ down.
‘I think this fight will be over in six rounds. I think it’s going to be a war.
‘I don’t think Usyk wants to be walked down by AJ, to box off the back foot against an aggressive Anthony Joshua.
‘I except him to be aggressive, and I think he’s going to get knocked out.’
Hearn promotes both Joshua and Usyk, but this is the final fight on his deal with the Ukrainian.
Usyk beat Joshua by unanimous decision when the two fought in September last year
Joshua has reconstructed his team ahead of his rematch against Usyk and will have a new plan
Whoever wins the bout should be able to stake their claim as the world’s best heavyweight after Tyson Fury confirmed his retirement plans yesterday.
The ‘Gypsy King’ posted on Twitter: ‘After long hard conversations I’ve finally decided to walk away and on my 34th birthday I say bon voyage.’
It’s unclear who the winner will fight next, with names such as Joe Joyce, Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte put forward in recent days.