Anthony Joshua defeated: Oleksandr Usyk is the new WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion of the world after.
The Ukrainian in a riveting display of skill and nerve, he outpointed Anthony Joshua to win a clear and unanimous decision.
His commanding victory was not a shock because the unbeaten Ukrainian is a former undisputed world cruiserweight champion and, before the fight, there was widespread consensus among boxing’s cognoscenti that Usyk is a much more natural and gifted fighter than Joshua.
Usyk has become the third boxer after Evander Holyfield and David Haye to win world titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight.
However, there is a rematch clause, with Joshua – who has now won 24 and lost two of his professional bouts – having previously lost his belts when beaten by Andy Ruiz in New York in June 2019 only to regain the titles in a rematch in Saudi Arabia six months later.
