This archive report was first published on 26 September 2021.
On September 25, 2021, a sell-out crowd of 67,000 fans packed into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to witness a historic boxing match. Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk dethroned world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in his own backyard, earning a unanimous points decision.
Usyk, a 34-year-old former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, put on a masterclass to silence the vast majority of the crowd. He proved too elusive for Joshua throughout the enthralling contest, landing the cleaner shots and finishing with a flurry in round 12 as he went in search of a knockout.
Joshua stayed on his feet, but the decision was a formality as Usyk claimed the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO belts. This marked a crushing blow for Joshua, scuppering his hopes of a unification showdown with fellow Briton Tyson Fury, the WBC holder.
Usyk's victory follows in the footsteps of compatriots Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, who dominated the division for a decade from 2004-15. In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Usyk said, "This means a lot for me. The fight went the way I expected it to go. There were moments when Anthony pushed me hard, but it was nothing special."
Usyk also revealed that he had no objective to knock Joshua out, as his corner had pushed him not to do so. He stuck to his job, using his silky opponent skills to outmaneuver Joshua and secure the win.
