Promoter Eddie Hearn is convinced that Anthony Joshua will win tonight if he goes after Oleksandr Usyk with guns blazing, unloading his power shots to the body.
Hearn feels that Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) cant handle body shots, as there have been rumors that he was hurt in training camp by his sparring partners that went downstairs with their punches.
During the face-off at Friday’s weigh-in, Joshua asked Usyk how his body was feeling. This was a subtle hint by Joshua that he’s aware that Usyk was hurt in camp and that he intends on targeting that area during the fight
“I was thinking Usyk would be heavier. I’ve been talking about his game plan of being more aggressive. I think I’ve got it completely wrong. He’s about the same weight as he was last time,” said Eddie Hearn to talkSPORT.
“I think he’s going to fight the same way as he did last time. AJ looks great. I don’t think he [Usyk] wants to get backed up in this fight, but he has to fight off the back foot, especially being that weight as well.
“I said to AJ up there after the weigh-in, we could see it from the size. I said, ‘Look, you’ve got to take this guy to hell. I know he’s good; I know he’s pound-for-pound#1, but look at the physicalities. You are a monster compared to this guy.’
“He’s 23 pounds heavier. It’s not far off two stone. I know he’s a fantastic fighter. AJ just said to him, ‘How’s your body?’ and he went, ‘What?’ ‘How’s your body?’
“There have been stories about sparring, but if he [Usyk] did get hurt to the body in sparring, then that will stick up there. One thing is for sure if he [Joshua] attacks his body and attacks with variation to his head as well, I told AJ, ‘It’s physically impossible for him to stand up to your firepower.
“You’ve got to get your feet in position and be aggressive, and you’ve got to land it. Standing off him, there was a time at Spurs where he [Joshua] was a sitting duck,” said Hearn.
