The Night Usyk Boxed

Heavyweight boxing is a cruel sport. One punch can change everything, one fighter can rise and another fall. Few divisions have so many variables, even fewer are this unpredictable. Oleksandr Usyk is the latest in the line of fighters to rise and shock the world. This is not the greatest shock, there have been far greater ones and many gave Usyk a shot at dethroning the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion of the world, few if any thought it would come like this. In round one Usyk ducked under an Anthony Joshua jab, slid back up and threw his own back hand. A sharp, clearly powerful left hand which left Joshua stung and shocked. His eyes wide, shocked by the speed and accuracy. He was not hurt yet but would be. Usyk repeated the same pattern for the next eleven rounds, he ducked or slipped Joshua's jabs and countered. It's the simplest of game plans but Usyk worked it to perfection. Joshua also had a plan, the most obvious against a southpaw, range with the jab and attack with the right hand. The straight right is supposed to be a southpaw's kryptonite, on paper anyway but boxing matches are not won on paper. They are won on a square piece of canvas. Joshua tried the age old trick and found, on this particular canvas, it did not work. Usyk was too busy painting his own masterpiece. As the fight progressed, it became increasingly clear that Usyk was doing what he wanted, he even expanded his output and at times, looked to be going for the stoppage. Post-fight, he admitted as much, only to be told by his corner to reign it in a bit. They were worried about the much bigger, stronger, KO-artist Joshua who has legitimate heavyweight power. They were correct to worry, who wouldn't? The problem is that the heavyweight champion of the world did not get the memo. He was supposed to be the bigger, stronger man but did not fight like it. He flicked out the jab and the occasional power shot; there is no doubt he won some of those middle rounds. I personally gave him rounds 6-8 and not much else. Why did the champion not utilise his own power more? Who knows, maybe it comes down to what Usyk said, "Power is not from size, but from spirit". Indeed. As the fight progressed, the home crowd grew quiet, exploding at even the hint of success from their darling. Joshua provided some in those middle rounds, he even landed brilliant body shots but the moment Usyk came roaring back, Joshua folded. This is not to say he "quit", what nonsense that would be but he did not see to want to trade. He tried to outbox, while the challenger was not intent on fighting. Looping rights and lefts from Usyk and Joshua's eye blew up. It's the first time anyone would have seen his face marked up. This was now the toughest fight of the champions career. Usyk was so confident he felt like he could do whatever he wanted. His stepped into range and landed his shot then stepped back out again. On the odd occasion Joshua cornered him, there was little the champion could do to hurt the challenger. There is something troubling in the way Joshua deals with punches these days. This is not the man who came roaring back against Wladimir Klitschko, or who returned fire against Dillian Whyte, on both occasions he was hurt. Both times he won by stoppage. Is the dog gone? Did Andy Ruiz truly do long lasting damage or did Joshua simply get it wrong. It happens to the best. Ali had to reconfigure himself when facing Frazier and Norton, lest we forget. Joshua's trainer is highly esteemed and sought after, and why not, he is the head of Great Britain's Olympic line up, which has been hugely successful under his rule. Yet Joshua is no longer an amateur, he needs someone to add spite to his mentality, to light a fire in rounds 9 and beyond, not to quip, "You're doing good AJ". Joshua may find it worth his while to look elsewhere for a boxing sage. in terms of Usyk, where does he go from here? A rematch seems inevitable. The time it takes out of the 34 year olds career is also inevitable. He is skilful but his prime years are limited. One would imagine he would like to strike out for undisputed and have a very good chance of securing it but contracts have been signed and will be honoured. Bring on the rematch and the next chapter of this twisting, turning tale.