The stage at the King Abdullah Sports Center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was set. And, fans waited with bated breath for one of the biggest events of the year, as former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua faced Oleksandr Usyk for their rematch.

Joshua was fighting for Usyk’s WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles. Moreover, the vacant The Ring heavyweight title was also on the line.

Usyk entered the fight with an unbeaten record of 19-0-0 with 13 knockouts. Meanwhile, Joshua came into the fight with an equally impressive record of 24-2-0 with 22 knockouts.

Notably, both fighters’ last appearance in the ring was when they faced each other at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in 2021. While Joshua showcased a stellar performance, Usyk was declared the winner by decision. And, in turn, became the owner of the heavyweight titles.

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There is no denying that this rematch was an equally hair-raising event.

Oleksandr Usyk retains his throne

Anthony Joshua entered the ring as the underdog. However, ‘AJ’s eyes seemed determined to reclaim the heavyweight titles. Meanwhile, the reigning champion, Usyk had a grand entrance. Moreover, he paid tribute to his home country, Ukraine, by donning the colors of freedom.

Veteran referee, Luis Pabon from Puerto Rico, was in charge of enforcing the rules and managing the fight.

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The first few rounds saw both the fighters take it slow and pace themselves. Joshua was also seen to be more cautious than he was during their first fight. And, he was seen focusing on body shots while also being elusive.

The pace picked up in the fourth round. Both fighters started to go more into the offense while trying to land a few major shots. During round 6, Joshua was even able to take Usyk to the ropes while focusing on body shots. By round seven, Usyk found his ground, successfully repelling Joshua’s attacks.

Round 9 saw Joshua catching, sending wind, and asserting physical dominance. Moreover, he went into a borderline brawl while unleashing a merciless flurry of punches on Usyk. However, Usyk took over the 10th round. He came in, guns blazing like he was out for blood. Moreover, Usyk landed a significant number of headshots on Joshua.

The last two rounds saw both the fighters equally trade blows. One of the judges scored 115-113 in favor of Joshua, while the other two judges scored 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Usyk, making him the winner by decision.

The Boxing world expresses anger towards Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 scorecards

The boxing fraternity and celebs were excited by Usyk’s victory. Moreover, many celebs took to social media to share their thoughts.

Boxing trainer and commentator, Teddy Atlas, was confused as to why the victory was a split decision. In fact, he even added that the judge’s license should be revoked.

Similarly, a few fans also expressed their displeasure with the judge, who scored in favor of Joshua. And, the fans even felt that the victory should have been unanimous.

Irish boxer Conrad Cummings was impressed with Usyk’s performance and even went on to call him a ‘special fighter’.

In the same vein, rugby player Jonny Bentley also commended Usyk for his resilience and skill.

Meanwhile, actress Rosie Perez congratulated Usyk for his performance, while also extending support to Joshua. Moreover, she also appreciated the respect the fighters had for each other.

Irish boxer, Carl Frampton, felt that Joshua’s performance and the game plan was superior to his last fight. However, he felt Usyk’s victory was well deserved.

The editor-in-chief of The Sports Journal, Omar Al Raisi, was quick to mention the potential fights for both fighters.

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What do you think of Usyk’s victory against Joshua? Let us know in the comments below.