16 shares
19
View
comments
Advertisement
David did not quite slay Goliath with one sling shot but he reduced the world heavyweight champion to impotence by bombarding him with every punch in the manual of prize-fighting.
Anthony Joshua lost his collection of belts to a master of the boxing arts who bamboozled him and silenced the London majority on the new Tottenham Stadium’s first fight night.
He may also have forfeited, at the very least for the time being, the hundred million dollars which had been awaiting him in a super-fight with Tyson Fury.
The Gypsy King had warned AJ to be at his very best but Olexsdandr Usyk, with his full range of all the brilliant boxing talents, never allowed London’s giant to get into his powerful stride.
Round after round went by with Joshua lumbering after the bewildering maestro of movement, rapier southpaw jabbing, lightning combinations and rasping left hands.
When he tried to impose his size with lunges it came too late and lacked belief.
It was sad to a British world champion so diminished but at the same time it was a delight to witness such a genius craftsman go to work.
The fight was effectively over by half time in this football ground and the odd flourish from Joshua was nowhere near enough to turn the scoreline.
Usyk was never going to be diverted from joining Evander Holyfield and David Haye among the ranks of cruiserweight kings to be crowned world heavyweight champion.
The three official scores for a unanimous decision – 117-112, 116-112, 115-113- flattered Joshua. On my card he was swamped by 118-110.
The
