Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk big fight talking points, betting pointers, TV info, date and time

How big a test is this for Joshua?

The world was led to believe the biggest fight in British boxing history was a done deal and set for August this year, only for the mouth-watering showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to fall through just as fans finally began to believe it was actually happening. Two Brits fighting it out for all the marbles in boxing's glamour division in the richest bout of all time seemed too good to be true, and so it proved.

While the fight this weekend may not be as big commercially or have the 'crossover' appeal to the general sports fans, it is arguably the next best option in terms of the level of competition for Joshua after the Fury contest. The casual observers may not know anywhere near as much about Usyk, but those who follow the sport closely know just how good he is and what a dangerous fight this is for Joshua.

The Ukrainian won both World Championship and Olympic gold medals during a stellar amateur career, before turning professional and becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion in double-quick time. As impressive as cleaning up in a red-hot 200lb division was on paper, the manner in which he picked up all the belts made his achievements all the more special and had fans and pundits alike waxing lyrical about the unbeaten champion.

Two tune-up fights at heavyweight should have him spot-on for this assignment and fully acclimatised to the new weight class. The disappointment of the Fury fight not happening shouldn't overshadow what a fascinating match-up this is, and Joshua deserves full credit for facing the next toughest test available to him.

Will the return of crowds have an impact on the outcome?

Joshua is the face of British boxing and the second most powerful active fighter in the sport, behind 'Canelo' Alvarez, so the lack of capacity crowds during the pandemic will have been felt by everyone in the 'AJ' business more than most.

Around 70,000 fans will pack into Tottenham Hotspur's fantastic new stadium on Saturday to signal the return of big-time boxing in what should be a real celebration after a torrid 18 months. Things will really feel back to normal, from a sporting perspective anyway, when Joshua begins his ring walk on top of the podium with fireworks going off all around him and his masses of adoring fans feverishly welcoming him back to the big stage. The Watford native revels in the big occasion and we have seen in the past against Wladimir Klitschko how much of a positive impact the vociferous support can have on Joshua.

However, if anyone is expecting Usyk to be intimidated or put off by the atmosphere that goes with a stadium fight on these shores, they are barking up the wrong tree. He is used to being the away fighter and not only have all of his biggest wins come on the road, they have come in the back yard of his opponents.

For his first world title he went to Gdansk to inflict a first defeat on Krzysztof Glowacki, then beat American Michael Hunter and German Marco Huck on their home soil, before unifying all the belts by outpointing the previously unbeaten Latvian Mairis Breidis in Riga and Russian Murat Gassiev in Moscow. On top of that, he stopped Tony Bellew at a packed-out O2 Arena, beat Dereck Chisora at Wembley Arena 11 months ago and won his Olympic gold medal here in 2012. London has proven to be a very happy hunting ground for the visitor.

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Will Joshua's size be a factor?

Much of the pre-fight talk has been about Joshua imposing himself on his smaller opponent and simply proving too big for the former cruiserweight king. After all, the champion has weighed as high as 254lb in the past, whereas the most the challenger has tipped the scales at was 217lb and that was last time out against Derek Chisora.

Usyk is by no means small at 6’3” and would have been considered big for the weight in the 1960s and 70s, but in the modern era of giants in the heavyweight division, he is considered small and gives away three inches in height on Saturday evening.

However, he has the antidote for the big men with his tremendous footwork and quick hands, and the difference in speed could be exacerbated if a bulked-up version of Joshua enters the ring. The rumours are that we will see a trimmed down AJ, possibly his lightest ever, and one built for speed and stamina, rather than brute force.

Tactically, that would signal a very different approach from a bigger version of Joshua – one looking to throw his weight around in brutal fashion from the get-go. There are no secrets about what Usyk's approach will be, but Joshua's tactics are yet to be revealed and a lot more light will be shed on that subject when they step onto the scales on Friday afternoon. The numbers read out by MC Michael Buffer will tell us what sort of fight we can expect from the local favourite.

Joshua v Usyk big-fight guide

When is Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk?

The fight takes place on Saturday September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England

Ring walks for the main event are expected to take place at around 10pm local time

How can I watch Joshua v Usyk?

The fight is live on Sky Sports Box Office and via the Sky Sports app

It is pay-per-view and costs £24.95, a price which includes the undercard

The show begins at 6pm local time and can also be accessed via Now TV

Sky customers can book the fight here; non-customers here

Are there other ways to follow the fight?

Sky Sports will offer a live blog via their website

There is radio coverage via BBC Radio 5 Live

What fights are on the undercard?

• Lawrence Okolie v Dilan Prasovic
• Callum Smith v Lenin Castillo
• Campbell Hatton v Izan Dura
• Maxim Prodan v Florian Marku
• Christopher Ousley v Khasan Baysangurov

Will Joshua be troubled by the southpaw?

Not only does Usyk present a set of skills Joshua won't have seen too much of before, he also brings a left-handed stance to the table and that is something the champion is very unfamiliar with as a professional. British boxing's golden boy did win his first world title against a 'lefty', when he effortlessly brushed aside Charles Martin inside a couple of rounds in 2016, but the latter was a completely different style to Usyk and not on the same level when it comes to technical ability.

Aside from Martin, Joshua has been used to squaring off against orthodox foes and that lack of variety in opposition could show when he's up against a southpaw as technically gifted as Usyk this weekend. Finding top-quality sparring in preparation for a southpaw can be tricky at the best of times but doing so during the pandemic, with all the travel restrictions in place, is even tougher and locating big men who can replicate what Usyk can do is virtually impossible.

The battle between orthodox and southpaw is as old as the sport itself and it so often comes down to who can establish their jab, something Joshua has become more reliant on in recent outings. If unable to find a home for his lead left hand then Joshua could soon become frustrated, along with the those willing him on in the stands.

Can Usyk get a decision in the UK?

Usyk wasn't noted at a puncher at cruiserweight, never mind at heavyweight, and if he's going to prevail here, there is a fair chance it will have to be on the scorecards. That is reflected in betting, with 4/1 available about him winning on points and 7/1 the top price for a Usyk stoppage. His style of making people miss and pay, before moving out of range again, is more conducive to wining by decision and he may ensure the judges are required on Saturday.

Controversial decisions are nothing new and there will always be debate amongst boxing fans about the outcome of bouts that go to the scorecards, but the spotlight has certainly shone brighter on the judging in Britain over the last couple of years. The perception that our fighters are treated more favourably has increased, and for good reason in some cases, so there has to be a worry that Usyk won't get a fair deal against Joshua if it does go the distance.

The latter is the cash cow for Matchroom, who promote the show, and will have the huge crowd cheering every time he lets his hands go, whether he lands or not, so the judges could well be influenced. In the biggest fight of the year and the eyes of the boxing world on London, the last thing we want is for all the post-fight talk to be about the judging, but don't hold your breath on that one.

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