By Charles Brun: Oleksandr Usyk saying that Anthony “Joshua is a handsome man” has caused an odd reaction by many fans, whipping them into a frenzy.
It’s hard to understand how Usyk’s mere label of Joshua could result in so much anger from fans, but that’s how it says a lot about people. How can that one word create such a reaction from fans?
The main thing to focus on is IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) said that he’d be interested in the third fight with Joshua if his match with Tyson Fury doesn’t take place.
Usyk obviously knows that negotiating a fight with Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) is an iffy thing due to ‘The Gypsy King’ having such a high price tag.
Usyk reacts to Joshua’s meltdown
“I don’t hold a grudge against him. He was upset. I’d be upset if I lost twice. Joshua has the potential to grow; he needs to get some people away from him because he has a lot of freeloaders. Joshua is a handsome man; well done,” said Oleksandr Usyk via talkSPORT.
You can argue that much of that has to do with Fury’s ambivalence about taking the fight with the talented Ukrainian. Fury wanted the Joshua fight because it would have been the pot of gold for him and an easy win on paper.
It’s no secret that Fury isn’t keen about fighting the slick, crafty Usyk because his style is all wrong for the bear-like behemoth.
All that weight that Fury has packed on his frame in the last two years for his fights against the spindly-legged Deontay Wilder won’t work for him against the fleet of foot Usyk.
Indeed, the tonnage that Fury has put on his frame will act like a heavy anchor, dragging him down, making it impossible to get to Usyk to clinch him & and start with the leaning.
“I don’t want to talk about the competence of the judges, but when I watched the rematch with Anthony Joshua, I can say that four, well, a maximum of five rounds can be given to Joshua,” Usyk continued. “If Fury floats away, then maybe we will agree on a third fight with Joshua.”
It sounds like a great idea for Usyk to fight Joshua again because I don’t think there’s much change for a Fury match because he’s going to price himself out.
