Joshua: "Usyk is a great champion, but I have no intention of losing to him"

The IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) will face the mandatory challenger for his WBO title Oleksandr Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs), the former cruiserweight king, on September 25 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Brit emphasizes the Ukrainian's class, but he has no intention of breaking under his pressure.

"Usyk dominated the cruiserweight division and now he wants to do the same at heavyweight, but in the past there were guys who even came from light heavyweight to heavyweight and succeeded, like Archie Moore. Usyk at heavyweight can be just as strong as he was at cruiserweight. I try to think of him as such," Joshua stated.

"My opponent is a great champion, but I'm not going to concede under his pressure. For me, a challenge like this is a pleasure. I ask God for the strength to enable me to stand up to the greatest challenges and overcome them. God has tested me in great battles, and I want more. I pray for wisdom and courage to wage war against the best," added one of the best and most popular British athletes of the 21st century.