AJ NEEDS TO TURN IT INTO A CAGE FIGHT AND GET THE JOB DONE IN SIX ROUNDS

TACTICS

JOSHUA needs to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at Usyk from the start. He needs to try a right-hand lead, follow with a left then push Usyk in the chest, use the forearms, elbows. Push it to the point of being warned by the referee, invading the natural space and not giving Usyk a chance to settle. Joshua needs to rely more on his instinct, let punches go, be aggressive and rough up Usyk in old-school ways. I see it as a six-round contest because once it goes beyond there, Usyk takes the advantage. He will try to bamboozle Joshua, mislead him with how he sets his feet, then feint. He doesn’t need to change much from the first fight, just do things quicker and set the pace that tires out Joshua.

STRENGTHS

JOSHUA has the greater power.

He can punch, he has the height, the reach, the jab and he has the weight. He is also good at taking on instructions and has a strong self-belief.

Usyk has the greater ring craft. He is an intelligent fighter; he is quick and he doesn’t panic. He also has this unnerving, poker face. The first emotion we saw from him in the last fight was when he cried at the end.

WEAKNESSES

JOSHUA’S downfall is often his stamina. He loses too much towards the last quarter of the fight. Also he has less experience than others, including Usyk. The Ukrainian is not a natural heavyweight. If you are going to fight him in this division now is the time to do it.

PHYSICALITY

USYK has looked heavier but I don’t expect him to be too much different. He is a mobile southpaw. He’s not awkward, but unorthodox in terms of the feints he makes, his footwork, his head movement.

It’s all about deception and sleight of hand. Joshua needs to smash through it, terrorise the guy. He needs to use his extra size as if in a cage fight, fight like the bigger guy and manhandle Usyk.

MOTIVATION

USYK is a warrior who has come back from the frontline of a war to put his country back in the headlines for sporting greatness. Showing resilience against the odds. Usyk is proud of his country, his history. You only have to look at how he turned up in national dress the other day, how he talks.

For Joshua, it’s about pride, revenge and legacy. I’ve always believed the hardest part of being a world champion is staying world champion. It’s easier to be the hungry one chasing someone down. That’s where Joshua finds himself.

VERDICT

IT’S going to be a much more explosive fight than the first encounter. If Joshua uses his size and manages to physically dominate Usyk, I see him winning inside six or seven rounds. If he doesn’t get the job done in that time, I see Usyk applying the pressure to wear Joshua down and taking the fight.