Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk met face-to-face for the first time since Usyk's second win over Tyson Fury. The encounter took place at The Ring Magazine awards, where Joshua had a heartfelt message for the undisputed heavyweight champion.
"I'm proud of you," Joshua told Usyk. The former heavyweight champ expanded on his feelings, saying, "I respect you and I'm proud of you, honestly. What you've done is not easy, well done my brother, I'm proud of you. What you have done is very impressive, I understand from [my heart], it's good."
Usyk's journey to the top of the heavyweight division has been remarkable. He stepped up from cruiserweight five years ago and hasn't lost a fight since. The Ukrainian boxer now holds all four major heavyweight titles - the WBA, IBF, WBO, and WBC belts. He's the first undisputed heavyweight champ since Lennox Lewis 25 years ago, and many consider him the best pound-for-pound fighter today.
Usyk's rise included two victories over Joshua himself. The first came in 2021 in London, where Usyk won by decision. He then retained his titles in a rematch in Saudi Arabia the following year.
After defending his belts against Daniel Dubois in a fight where he was knocked down for the first time in his career (in a controversial low blow incident), Usyk cemented his status as the best heavyweight of his generation. He beat Tyson Fury twice within seven months.
At 37, Usyk isn't done yet. He plans to keep fighting, with a potential rematch against Dubois on the horizon if Dubois can get past Joseph Parker on February 22.
As for Joshua, he's still eyeing a fight with Tyson Fury, hoping to make it happen in 2025. But for now, he's shown nothing but respect for the man who beat him twice.
The encounter between these two heavyweight stars happened at The Ring Magazine awards, where Usyk's achievements were celebrated. Joshua's words of respect and admiration show the mutual regard these fighters have for each other, despite their fierce rivalry in the ring.
