Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has voiced his opinions on the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua Rematch.
Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, dethroned Joshua via an unanimous decision back in September last year to clinch the WBA Super, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The two meet at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on August 20th – in what is undoubtedly the most important fight of Joshua’s career to date.
Mike Tyson knows a thing or two about career defining fights, winning his first 19 fights by knockout before picking up his first world title aged 20 with a two-round demolition of Trevor Berbick in 1986. That victory meant he become the youngest ever boxer to win a heavyweight title, a record that still stands.
Whilst on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast ‘Iron’ Mike said:
“Listen, Joshua’s gonna have to wear him down, because the guy is smooth and moving and all that stuff.
“He’s gonna have to wear him down, he’s not gonna out box this guy, he’s not, just beat him down.”
Tyson was full of praise for Usyk’s boxing ability:
“Usyk is very hard to hit. He’s an elite amateur boxer, that elite amateur boxer stuff messes guys like Joshua up because it’s too much movement, fainting, and all that stuff.
The former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ went on to suggest Joshua needs to be more active in the rematch:
“He [Joshua] could do so much, that’s why he’s never a lost soul, he can learn so much – he’s still learning, that’s why he’s dangerous Joshua, because he’s still f*****g learning!
“He can’t just faint, his jabs got to be constantly out there and he’s got to turn it into something.
“Joshua needs to pick up the pace a little, just a little, not much.”
Tyson finished by stating the pressure the Brit is under from Americans:
“He has so much damn potential.
“Joshua has balls – he’s no walk over.
“It’s just that for some reason we expect a lot from Joshua. Americans expect a lot out of Joshua for some reason.”
Joshua has brought in Robert Garcia to join Angel Fernandez in his corner, with many expecting that new relationship to bring out a more aggressive ‘AJ’ next month.