Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 press conference LIVE: Heavyweights go head-to-head in Jeddah

Joshua looks for redemption in Saudi Arabia in the rematch against the Ukrainian

Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk in tense face-off ahead of Saudi Arabia fight

Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk came face to face in Jeddah on Wednesday ahead of their world heavyweight title rematch. The Briton lost at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September and AJ will hope to repeat his trick after achieving redemption against Andy Ruiz in a rematch in Saudi Arabia. There is the possibility of the winner becoming undisputed champion in the next fight, although Tyson Fury’s most recent retirement clouds the future of the division.

The pair exchanged words earlier, with both men looking calm and relaxed, with just three days remaining, the hard work is done. Both could agree on the value of sparring partners though, with Usyk concurring with his rival, adding “they are the people who make us better”. As Joshua bids to take on the mesmerising and outrageously skilful Usyk once more, AJ underlined his hunger to “compete” and the challenge to meet his own expectations in the ring. The former champion downplayed the significance of the belts, with the WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line, plus The Ring Magazine belt, which was relinquished by Fury after his announcement he would not fight again.

Joshua may be the underdog, but there is pressure coming from the media and former fighters Johnny Nelson and Carl Froch, who believe this could be his last fight. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who is eyeing up round six as pivotal to the outcome of the fight, maintains the 32-year-old would need to be patient for another shot at the title if he loses again, but that it is far from the end of the road: “He loves what he does, AJ loves to fight. He loves boxing. It will be difficult to get a shot at the world heavyweight title. But why would you even consider retiring from the sport if you lose to the pound-for-pound number one? Unless you just didn’t want to do it anymore.” Recap everything that was said at the press conference from the fighters and their teams below:

Usyk vs Joshua 2 press conference

• Joshua vs Usyk prize money: What is fight purse for heavyweight title rematch?
• Usyk vs Joshua 2 undercard
• The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings
• Anthony Joshua could retire with second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, says Carl Froch

[17 August 2022 12:40 · Jack Rathborn]

Usyk vs Joshua 2: Main event and full undercard

Full card

Oleksandr Usyk (C) vs Anthony Joshua (heavyweight)

Filip Hrgovic vs Zhilei Zhang (heavyweight)

Callum Smith vs Mathieu Bauderlique (light-heavyweight)

Ramla Ali vs Crystal Garcia Nova (women’s super-bantamweight)

Badou Jack vs Richard Rivera (cruiserweight)

Andrew Tabiti vs Tyrone Spong (heavyweight)

Daniel Lapinvs Jozef Jurko (light-heavyweight)

Ziyad Almaayouf vs Jose Alatorre (super-lightweight)

[17 August 2022 12:40 · Jack Rathborn]

Joshua vs Usyk prize money: What is fight purse for heavyweight title rematch?

Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk will share the ring again this month, as the heavyweights go head to head with the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles on the line in Saudi Arabia.

The pair’s rematch comes 11 months after their initial clash, which saw Usyk comprehensively outpoint Joshua in the Briton’s own backyard, taking the belts from “AJ” at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Now Joshua, 32, will seek to regain the titles for the second time in his career as he faces the unbeaten Ukrainian in Jeddah. In 2019, Joshua lost the belts to Andy Ruiz Jr at New York City’s Madison Square Garden with a stoppage defeat, before avenging that result with a decision win against the Mexican-American in Saudi Arabia at the end of that year.

Can Joshua replicate that feat by handing Usyk, 35, the first loss of the southpaw’s professional career?