Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine hits Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
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Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, left, throws a punch at Anthony Joshua of Britain during their WBA (Super), WBO and IBF boxing title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
LONDON – Oleksandr Usyk ended Anthony Joshua’s second reign as world heavyweight champion Saturday with a unanimous points win in just his third fight since stepping up from the cruiserweight division.
Usyk became the third man, after Evander Holyfield and David Haye, to win world titles at cruiserweight then heavyweight. Six years after Wladimir Klitschko’s long heavyweight reign ended, Ukraine has another champion in boxing’s marquee division.
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Joshua could not cope with Usyk’s superior reflexes and punching power, especially off his left, and ended the fight slumped on the ropes after a flurry of punches by the mandatory challenger to his WBO belt.
Usyk also took Joshua’s WBA and IBF titles.
Joshua has a rematch clause in the deal.
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