Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has made an intriguing choice by including former two-time champion Anthony Joshua in his top five boxers in the world, despite having defeated him twice.
Oleksandr Usyk made the list in an interview with DAZN as he continues to prepare for his heavyweight title rematch against Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 21.
Usyk, who handed Fury his first professional loss in May, listed pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford and super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez as his top two boxers in the world, followed by Joshua.
This recognition of Joshua is particularly noteworthy given his recent knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September, marking his fourth professional loss.
In a show of sportsmanship, Usyk also acknowledged Tyson Fury in his top five, alongside undefeated Japanese star Naoya Inoue, who continues to excel in the bantamweight division.
Meanwhile, Fury has expressed his intentions for the upcoming rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, promising to adopt a more aggressive strategy this time around.
“Last time, I went to box him, I was being cautious. This time I’m not going for a points decision. I’m going to knock that motherf****r out,” the British heavyweight boxer declared.
Note that the winner of the December 21 clash may find himself in a potential bout with Joshua in 2025 as Eddie Hearn, the boxing promoter of the Nigerian-born British boxer, had said AJ has no plans of retiring from the sport.