Oleksandr Usyk will repeat his win over Anthony Joshua later this month, but it won’t be easy. That’s the verdict of former two-weight world champion, Carl Frampton, who believes that both fighters will approach the fight with different tactics from their first meeting.
Last September, Usyk was in control of Joshua throughout their encounter. The Ukrainian scored well from the outside, and when he managed to get close, he hurt the 2012 Olympic gold medallist on several occasions.
Despite the dominant manner of the first fight, Frampton, now a respected pundit, expects a closer contest.
"You put a gun to my head, I'm saying Usyk wins the fight,” said Frampton when speaking to Sky Sports. “I don't think it's going to be as easy as a lot of people do."
"I think that because of what ‘AJ's’ going to have to do in the fight. He was exhausted at the end of the last fight. He was hurting at the end of the last fight as well. I think if he doesn't get rid of Usyk, I think then he probably gets stopped late himself. I hope I'm wrong."