Usyk vs AJ: Evander Holyfield says Anthony Joshua must fight Oleksandr Usyk as ‘big brother’ in rematch | Boxing News
Heavyweight giant Evander Holyfield believes Anthony Joshua must fight Oleksandr Usyk like he is the Ukrainian ‘big brother’ when the pair meet in a world title rematch on Saturday.
If the analysis surrounding Joshua’s hopes of winning the WBO, WBA and IBF belts back seems a bit repetitive, that’s because it was and for obvious reasons. A more aggressive version of the two-time world champion is expected in Jeddah this weekend as he looks to provide Usyk with a different challenge than in September, when his intent to defeat the cunning nampaw was fail.
Holyfield is one of the latest to urge Londoners to feel their natural size and strength at night.
Usyk v Joshua 2: Weigh and measure
Friday, August 19 12:30 pm
“He had to fight like a big guy. He couldn’t sit there and stick with this guy, he had to hit him with big shots,” Holyfield said. Sports sky.
“If you have a little brother. If you try to keep up, he moves too much, you have to grab him and put all that weight on him and let him feel that you are the strong one. stronger and this is a big thing guy fights and there’s no way he can beat you in a big guy fight.
“I know both of them have the potential to win, it’s just who does it that night when the pressure is on. It’s really a matter of how one thinks. I know what my thoughts are going to be.
“I always say that every guy who gets me the best is a lighter guy with quick hands, I sit there watching. But that’s what big guys do when they’re in front of me, me. so good that they sat there watching and then the fight was over.”
“It’s not impossible [for Joshua], all it takes is one shot with him. The point is – is he aggressive enough to go out and do it? “
Holyfield himself is no stranger to the rematch environment, he made notable adjustments to avenge the opening defeat to Riddick Bowe in the second battle of their trilogy.
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“Bowe is a boxer and a puncher, he’s a big guy,” the former world champion added. “The first time we fought, because he and I were good friends, I talked too much with him so we shared too much information.
“So he told me when the fight started, ‘if you don’t run, I’ll knock you down’.
“I’m not running, I’m holding him back and because he’s bigger, he hits harder and I don’t run out of gas and knock me down.
“The second time, I moved around, he didn’t keep up with me moving around, then I hit him.
“Of course if you go with a bigger guy who’s a bigger puncher than you and he hits you more than you hit him, you’ll get tired of having to carry all that weight on you. .”
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Watch Joshua’s full public training session ahead of his rematch with Usyk
Usyk followed in Holyfield’s footsteps in life becoming the world champion cruiser to dominate at the top of the heavyweight division.
Reflecting on the transition, Holyfield explained, “I wouldn’t say it was easy, because you have to strip away everything that’s needed to be a boxer.
“The art of the game is boxing and the boxer will have the advantage every time, unless he gets knocked down.
“That’s what boxers do – box. And boxing is ‘you’re going to hit that guy more times than that guy’s going to hit you’,” and if it goes the distance, you beat them.
“But if you’re a big boxer, what can a big boxer do? I’ll get you out of there.”
Anthony Joshua’s massive heavyweight rematch with Oleksandr Usyk takes place on Saturday, August 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk vs Joshua 2 Tickets Now!
