Deontay Wilder backs Oleksandr Usyk to ‘easily’ beat ‘broken man’ Anthony Joshua in their rematch
Deontay Wilder has said that Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk will ‘easily’ beat Anthony Joshua in their world heavyweight title rematch on Saturday night.
The pair will go head-to-head for a second time this weekend after AJ lost his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in an unanimous points decision at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in September last year.
Wilder has backed Usyk to beat Joshua again – despite the fact AJ has freshened up his training team, parting company with former coach Robert McCracken and joining forces with new esteemed cornerman Robert Garcia.
Deontay Wilder has backed Oleksandr Usyk to beat AJ in their rematch on Saturday evening
Wilder has said Usyk has the ‘momentum’ going into the fight and that the Ukrainian hold the advantage after after beating Joshua last September.
Speaking on the PBC podcast, Wilder said: ‘My totally honest opinion is that it’s going to depend on the fighters.
‘A lot of time has passed and there’s been a lot of time given to strategise for the second time around.
‘They say when you fight a person you know him a little bit better the second time, even a little bit more the third.
Joshua is due to face Usyk for a second time this year after losing his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts on an unanimous points decision in September last year (above)
The pair will go head-to-head in Saudi Arabia and Wilder thinks Usyk will be victorious
‘It’s all going to be up to those guys. My heart says Usyk easily, he’s got the momentum now and how he was able to do it the last time around.
‘But this is boxing at the end of the day and you just never know how it’s going to to end up panned out until the end of it.
‘I wish them all the best of luck and I hope they get out of the ring just like they came in; safe and sound.’
Wilder also said Usyk’s confidence would play an important role in Saturday’s heavyweight showdown and referred to AJ as a ‘broken man’.
Wilder thinks Usyk will win the fight easily as he has the momentum from the first fight
Wilder has also said that Usyk appears to be more confident than the British heavyweight
Speaking to FightHype he said: ‘Usyk just looks more confident than ever now and when you look at Joshua he just looks like a different man.
‘He looks more broken or something, maybe it’s him getting used to not having the titles and now the tables have turned.
‘Because sometimes you have something for so long and the tables turn you’ve got a chance to get used to that when you were used to something else.’
Wilder has previously praised Usyk and even said he wasn’t surprised the Ukrainian boxer stopped Joshua during their fight in September 2021.
Wilder thinks Joshua looks like a broken man after a difficult few months in his career
Wilder has not stepped foot back in the ring after suffering two brutal defeats to Tyson Fury
When asked if he was shocked at AJ’s conclusive points defeat, Wilder told BT Sport: ‘I wasn’t at all, I wasn’t at all. Malik Scott always talks about Usyk and how skilful he is. Especially coming up from cruiserweight.
‘He definitely had his struggles in the heavyweight division with Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora. But styles make fights and with Joshua, he just had his number at that point in time.’
The Bronze Bomber has not stepped foot back in the ring after suffering two brutal defeats to WBC champion Tyson Fury.
However, Wilder will return to the canvas to face Robert Helenius in New York on October 15 this year.
He is hoping a victory over the Finnish boxer will clear the pathway for him to face the winner of AJ and Usyk’s rematch.
