Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 Picks, Predictions, Odds

The most anticipated fight of the summer will take place this Saturday when Oleksandr Usyk looks to defeat Anthony Joshua for a second time with numerous heavyweight titles on the line. Usyk defeated Joshua in London on September 25, 2021, to win the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles. It was the second loss of Joshua’s career, and he will now enter the rematch as an underdog by the boxing betting odds for the first time.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua II has been dubbed “Rage on the Red Sea” as it is being held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Usyk vs. Joshua II is set to happen on Saturday, August 20, 2022, and it will be broadcast on DAZN in almost every country other than the United Kingdom. The promotion will start at 12 p.m. ET with the main event tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET.

What Happened in Usyk vs. Joshua I?

Anthony Joshua opened up as a sizeable favorite per the boxing betting odds over Oleksandr Usyk before their first fight last September. However, as the fight date drew closer, more money came in on Usyk, and Joshua ended up being just a moderate favorite by the time the fight got started. Those bets on the underdog proved to be smart as Usyk controlled the pace and dominated the first fight.

Usyk landed more punches than his opponent and also landed a higher percentage of his punches. The challenger left no doubt that he was the better fighter in the 12^th round as he successfully landed 29 punches on Joshua. That led to a unanimous decision victory for Usyk as the three judges ruled 117-112, 116-112, and 115-113 in his favor. 

Usyk vs. Joshua II Prediction

Early in his career, it looked like Anthony Joshua might live up to the enormous hype. Joshua was heralded as the next boxing superstar after he won gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and he was dominating opponents for several years after turning pro. He knocked out his first 20 opponents, including Wladimir Klitschko, and that led to Joshua holding the IBF, IBO, and WBO heavyweight titles.

However, we started to see a chink in Joshua’s armor a few years ago. Joshua was an enormous favorite by the boxing betting odds against Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019, but Ruiz went on the offensive early and ended up sending the champion to the canvas four times on his way to a seventh round TKO. While Joshua was able to win the rematch against Ruiz, that defeat shattered Joshua’s aura of invincibility.

Joshua has the size and reach advantage over Usyk. He is three inches taller than his opponent and was almost 20 pounds heavier than the current champion in their first fight. Additionally, Joshua has a four-inch reach edge.

Usyk put on a clinic in the first fight. He was able to take the fight to Joshua despite his disadvantages, as the champion once again lacked aggression. Joshua has promised to be more aggressive in the rematch, but he seems to put things in cruise control far too often for a fighter of his size. Usyk is superb at countering, and he can punish the former champion if he is trying to force the action too much. The lack of natural aggression in Joshua is a red flag, and that’s why I’m going with Usyk to win the rematch.

To Win Fight: Oleksandr Usyk (-188)
Total Rounds: Over 10.5 (-150)