“I wouldn’t want to be in a ring with me” Joshua fears for Usyk
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the final press conference for Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk for the unified world heavyweight titles this Saturday.
This mouthwatering dust-up, which will be for the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles, is set to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It promises to be a thrilling night in London and we are just over 48 hours away from finding out who comes out victorious with Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder set to follow in two weeks as the heavyweight landscape becomes clearer.
Today, Joshua and Usyk will come face-to-face for the first time since the fight was made as they begin the sizing-up process. They will also take questions about one another, although neither man is notorious for trash talking their opponents, though there were unexpected fireworks when Canelo Alvarez met Caleb Plant this week, so you never know.
There will no doubt be some subtle mind games played this afternoon though as fight day draws closer. Many are calling Usyk too small to deal with a heavyweight the size of Joshua. Others are saying Usyk possesses the boxing skill and nimbleness needed to frustrate the champion and cause a seismic upset.
The real build-up starts today as we get a good look at both fighters. Do not go anywhere as we will bring you live updates from everything that is said and seen from the press conference before tomorrow’s weigh-in:
Short break
Now there is a short break in proceedings as the undercard press conference has finished and we await the arrival of the two big guns at 2pm.
Don’t go anywhere though as we are building up to the first face-off between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
A real tension in the air!
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:47
Okolie ready for war
Lawrence Okolie could not look less fazed by the media circus surrounding this fight week. Calm. As. You. Like.
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:42
Prodan-Marku face-off
Safe to say Florian Marku is unpredictable.
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:40
Okolie keen to win in front of home fans
Lawrence Okolie is looking to defend his WBO cruiserweight title on Saturday evening when he takes on Montenegrin Dilan Prasovic.
The 16-0 Brit has been pretty unphased in his rise to world honours as a professional. Could this be his first serious test?
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:37
Smith ready to bounce back from Canelo defeat
Callum Smith has been out of the ring for nine months after being beaten by Canelo Alvarez in a unification bout at the end of 2020.
The Liverpudlian is jumping up from super-middleweight to light-heavyweight. But make no mistake, Smith was a ridiculously big 168-pounder and is still a big 175-pound fighter.
He faces Lenin Castillo on Saturday night in his first fight up at light-heavyweight. Should win.
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:33
Campbell Hatton ready to fight
Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell will fight his fourth professional contest on Saturday night as he continues his progress after turning over from the amateurs.
The 20-year-old has a lot to learn but is already making noise due to the name he carries. Now he has to live up to that hype with performances in the ring.
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:27
Fireworks already!
Wow! Maxim Prodan has really wound Florian Marku up here! The Albanian got up and wanted to scrap with Prodan right there and then.
He was dragged away by security but has now returned to the stage. Always a lot of trash talk when Marku is involved.
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:22
Joshua will beat Usyk inside seven rounds, predicts Whyte
Dillian Whyte has tipped Anthony Joshua to win his heavyweight battle with Oleksandr Usyk inside seven rounds.
“[Anthony] Joshua will stop him in the first five, six, or seven rounds,” Whyte forecasted on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Usyk will start fast, and Joshua will be a bit cagey because he’s a southpaw, and he’s lighter. Joshua also lacks confidence sometimes in fights where he can get caught up.
“Hopefully, he goes back to his old self and starts pressing Usyk and being the bigger, stronger guy and starts backing him up and hitting him with stuff.”
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:20
Joshua vs Usyk
Just two days until we witness Joshua and Usyk battle it out for three versions of the world heavyweight title at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Can AJ retain his belts for the second time since regaining them from Andy Ruiz Jr? Or can Usyk throw a spanner in the works by becoming a two-weight world champion?
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:15
Hearn questions Usyk’s power ahead of Joshua fight
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has questioned Oleksandr Usyk’s power ahead of their heavyweight title fight on Saturday.
He said: “I think everyone can punch. I don’t think he is a puncher.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t be fearful of him as a puncher because he is sharp and sometimes he hits you from angles with shots that you don’t see and sometimes they’re the deadliest ones.
“I’m sure he can hurt all heavyweights, but I don’t fear his power in this fight like I would watching AJ against Wladimir (Klitschko) or against (Deontay) Wilder if that fight happened.”
Dylan Terry23 September 2021 13:10