Usyk Claims Unified Heavyweight Crown From Joshua

Fight Date: September 25, 2021

In what turned out to be an epic fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London a few weeks ago, the former undefeated, undisputed Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Oleksandr Usyk took on British native and reigning World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua in hopes of claiming the unified world heavyweight titles. Despite over 60,000 Joshua fans in the crowd, Usyk kept a laser focus as he went in for the titles, winning by unanimous decision at the end of 12 rounds.

After the two opponents touched gloves, Usyk didn’t waste any time in establishing his dominance, coming at Joshua without hesitation and keeping the action in the center of the ring. Meanwhile, power-puncher Joshua put up an incredible fight, consistently studying Usyk and making adjustments accordingly. But it came down to their ring IQs and stamina, with Usyk having the upper hand in the end.

Usyk, a masterful fighter, did acknowledge the magnitude of the event in a post-fight interview, saying “Yes, this was undoubtedly the biggest fight of my career.”

Acting as cutman in Usyk’s corner was our very own Russ Anber, founder and CEO of Rival Boxing Gear, who had always held high hopes for the decorated amateur — and rightfully so. In an interview from 2018, Anber even said “I love Usyk, and what he’s done is […] nothing short of a miracle, also. And you know, maybe — and I mean, people might jump all over me and say “No, it was Holyfield” — maybe the greatest Cruiserweight in boxing history. And I’ll tell you this right now, I'm going on record saying this, so you can send this out: He’s going to win a piece of the Heavyweight Championship of the world as well. He will be Heavyweight Champion of the world.”

This is without a doubt the biggest event that Rival Boxing Gear has ever had the pleasure of being a part of, with two of the most talented and recognizable fighters in the game today, vying for the Unified Heavyweight Championship of the World. We are so honoured and proud to have been involved in such a historic event, and could not have asked for a bigger platform on which to stand.

To both fighters, we extend our congratulations on an amazing performance, and we thank you for entrusting your hands to Rival gloves. Here’s hoping that we get to see a rematch in the near future!