Anthony Joshua is looking to reclaim the heavyweight throne once again. In his way is Oleksandr Usyk, who has become a true warrior in and out of the ring.
The WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles are on the line in a fight that will take place on August 20 in Saudi Arabia. The showdown will occur inside the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Due to Tyson Fury's retirement, The Ring belt will also be on the line.
Usyk made his pro debut in 2013 after winning a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics. The Ukrainian won the WBO cruiserweight title in 2016. In the 2017-18 World Boxing Super Series tournament, he beat Marco Huck and Mairis Briedis for the WBC cruiserweight title, and Murat Gassiev in the final for the WBA, IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles. His lone defense as undisputed champion was a knockout win over Tony Bellew in 2018.
Usyk moved up to heavyweight in 2019. After beating Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora, he overcame Joshua via unanimous decision last September to become the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion.
MORE: Oleksandr Usyk net worth: Purse history, career earnings for heavyweight boxing champion
Joshua made his pro debut in 2013, beating Emanuele Leo via TKO. In 2015, Joshua won the Commonwealth and British heavyweight titles against Gary Cornish and Dillian Whyte. From 2016 to 2018 Joshua beat the likes of Charles Martin, Dominic Breazeale, Eric Molina, Wladimir Klitschko, Carlos Takam, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin. He beat Martin for the IBF heavyweight title, Klitschko for the WBA and IBO heavyweight titles and Parker for the WBO heavyweight title.
In 2019, Andy Ruiz Jr. beat Joshua for all the gold in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. It was Joshua's first fight in the United States and he was knocked down four times en route to a seventh-round stoppage. Joshua beat Ruiz in a rematch a few months later in Saudi Arabia. Joshua retained the titles against Kubrat Pulev in December 2020 before his latest reverse.
“Fighting championship level back to back has had its pros and cons, but I decide every day to get stronger, to learn from my experiences and grow," Joshua stated in a release. "A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and I am the happiest and most motivated I have been."
The Sporting News has a complete guide to Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2, including the fight card, price, betting odds and more.
When is Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2?
- Date: August 20 | August 21 in Australia
- Main card: 12 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. BST | 2 a.m. AEST
- Main event: 5:15 p.m. ET | 10:15 p.m. BST | 7:15 a.m. AEST (Approximately)
Usyk vs. Joshua 2 will take place on August 20. The main card will start at 12 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. BST | 2 a.m. AEST. Usyk and Joshua should make their way to the ring around 5:15 p.m. ET | 10:15 p.m. BST | 7 a.m. AEST, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2
- U.S., Canada, Australia: DAZN
- U.K.: Sky Sports Box Office
In most countries globally, including the U.S., Canada and Australia, the fight will be streamed on DAZN.
However, Sky Sports Box Office won the rights to the fight in Joshua's home territory (U.K.).
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 PPV price: How much does the card cost?
- DAZN monthly subscription: $19.99 in the U.S., $20 in Canada, $13.99 AUD
- DAZN annual subscription: $99.99 in the U.S., $150 in Canada
In the United States, Canada and Australia, and most territories globally, the fight will air on DAZN, but it will not be via PPV.
- Sky Sports Box Office: £26.95 in the U.K.
Fight fans in the UK will have to stump up £26.95, a £2 increase on the price Sky Sports set for AJ and Usyk's initial encounter.
MORE: Join DAZN to watch Usyk vs. Joshua 2
Where is Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2?
Usyk vs. Joshua 2 will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr. in a rematch in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and will hope for a repeat performance. The fight will be held inside King Abdullah Sports City, which can hold up to 62,000+ people.
How much do tickets for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 cost?
Ticket information for the event in Saudi Arabia is available now. Along with tickets, you will need to apply for VISA entry.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 betting odds
Per Vegas Insider, Usyk is the -250 favorite while Joshua is the +175 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Usyk is the -235 favorite. Joshua is the +172 underdog.
Oleksandr Usyk record and bio
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Born: Jan. 17, 1987
- Height: 6-3
- Reach: 78 inches
- Total fights: 19
- Record: 19-0 with 13 wins via knockout
Anthony Joshua record and bio
- Nationality: British
- Born: Oct. 15, 1989
- Height: 6-6
- Reach: 82 inches
- Total fights: 26
- Record: 24-2 with 22 wins via knockout
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 fight card
- Oleksandr Usyk (c) vs. Anthony Joshua for the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles
- Filip Hrgovic vs Zhilei Zhang; IBF heavyweight title eliminator
- Callum Sith vs. Mathieu Bauderlique; WBC light-heavyweight title eliminator
- Badou Jack vs. Richard Rivera
- Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Jose Alatorre
- Ramla Ali vs. Crystal Garcia Nova
- Andrew Tabiti vs. James Wilson
- Ben Whittaker vs. Petar Nosic
- Daniel Lapin vs. Josef Jurko
- Money Kicks vs. Traycho Georgiev