By Charles Brun: In Eddie Hearn predicts Anthony Joshua will put things right and stop unbeaten Oleksandr Usyk within six rounds to rip back his three lost heavyweight titles when the two meet in mid-August in their rematch.
The Matchroom Boxing guru Hearn needs & wants Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) to turn things around in the rematch with Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) to help rejuvenate his career, which is listing badly on the port side, and rapidly taking on water after nine years in the professional ranks.
Assuming Joshua performs as he did in the first fight with Usyk last September, he’ll suffer a second straight defeat, making it necessary for Hearn to come up with a plan to keep his vessel afloat.
“I rate Usyk, but I’m telling you, I believe in Anthony Joshua, and I believe he’s going to put this right in the rematch, I really do. I’m telling you now, this is my prediction – AJ KOs Usyk inside six rounds,” said Eddie Hearn on Tuesday on social media.
Hearn’s prediction of Joshua defeating Usyk within six rounds sounds like wishful thinking on his part, one that has virtually no chance of happening.
It must be hard for Hearn to see what’s happening with Joshua’s career and not be able to do anything to stop the downward spiral.
If you’re Hearn, you need to be focusing on a way of keeping the dough flowing if Usyk does a number on Joshua again because that’s the likely outcome of their rematch.
Hearn should have his eyes open rather than his unrealistic vision of a Joshua knockout victory over Usyk.
“Absolutely nothing agreed yet for any broadcaster for that fight. We’re just signing the fight, and the rest will follow,” said Hearn in reacting to Gareth A Davies’ news of the Joshua vs. Usyk fight being broadcast on Sky. “I kind of do, really,” Hearn said when told that he ‘wishes he promoted Usyk.’
If all else fails, Hearn can always begin matching Joshua like he is welterweight Conor Benn by matching him exclusively against old, shot fighters to help bring in the green.
Benn is generating good revenue with Hearn matching him against fodder, and the fans in the UK don’t seem to mind that he’s facing stiffs one after another.
Hearn choosing to match Joshua similarly will guarantee the money keeps flowing in but at the expense of him holding world titles and being viewed as one of the elite fighters in the division.
“Joshua – Fury, hopefully, we can see it for the world heavyweight championship in December,” said Hearn.
This sleeping need for unreality that Hearn has involving Joshua is troubling because AJ’s chances of success against Usyk are dim, and it doesn’t matter who’s training him. Joshua is too flawed in many areas for him to win the rematch, and Hearn should face that reality now to start planning on what to do afterward.
