Usyk vs. Joshua 2: Live results, round by round updates

Heavyweight supremacy is at stake in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) is looking to make it consecutive wins over former champ Anthony Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs), who held those titles before Usyk took them away from him in front of a pro-Joshua crowd in London, England. With Tyson Fury retired (we think), the winner of this one should be considered boxing’s best heavyweight without debate. Despite the clear decision win for Usyk in their first fight, the Ukrainian is only about a 2-to-1 favorite over at DraftKings Sportsbook.

This post will include full play-by-play for the headliner. There’s a free live stream of the prelims starting at 10:30 AM ET at the top of the page, followed by DAZN’s broadcast of the five-fight main card at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT. The main event should start at around 5 PM ET/2 PM PT but could be at around 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT depending on the length of the undercard fights.

Join as at Bloody Elbow for live results and play-by-play of the fight. Offer your opinion in the comment section!

How to Watch

I just said DAZN has the broadcast but that’s not for every territory. If you live in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland you have to order via Sky Box Office PPV at a cost of £26.95/€31.95. In Ukraine the fight is streaming for free on Megogo and on YouTube.

If you want to just order as a standalone event, PPV.com is the place to go.

Fight Card

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua

Round 1 – Here we go! They both throw out their jabs. Straight left by Usyk. Good jab by Joshua. Southpaw jab from Usyk. Slow start as you might expect. Right to the body by Joshua.More jabbing from Joshua but an up-jab by Usyk and another right lands. Uppercut and a hold on the inside by Joshua. Straight left by Usyk connects. 10-9 Usyk.

Round 2 – Right hand to the body by Joshua to begin this frame. Joshua with a body jab. Then a jab upstairs and a hook downstairs. Straight left by Usyk but he’s not been too active in this round. Good up-jab by Usyk. Another Joshua jab. Nice right hand down the middle by Joshua. The former champ lands a body shot off a counter. 19-19.

Round 3 – Usyk looking to increase the tempo in this round. Jab by Joshua. Body shot is blocked. Good right hand by Joshua. Usyk with a couple of partially connecting punches. Body shot again by Joshua and another one. So far, so good for Joshua. AJ misses the uppercut and gets countered by that Usyk left. Joshua with the jab. Nice right hand by Joshua might have been blocked but it looked like it at least caught Usyk’s attention. Usyk with a left late in the round. 29-28 Joshua.

Round 4 – Joshua admonished for holding Usyk. Right hook and a left by Usyk as they just about clashed heads. Quick left hand by Usyk. Not a lot happening in this round but as I say that Usyk gets in a left hand. Body shot by Usyk and a quick right hook by Usyk. Joshua with a jab. Usyk goes back to the body. Counter right by Joshua just misses. Lightning quick left by Usyk. 38-38.

Round 5 – Good jab by Usyk backs Joshua up. Sweeping right by Joshua is blocked. Straight counter left by Usyk as fans chant his name in Saudi Arabia. Body shot by Usyk. Low blow by Joshua. Time is called. Doesn’t take long for him to recover and resume. Usyk goes to the body but that one is actually legal. Counter right hook by Usyk, body shot by Joshua. Another gorgeous counter by Usyk. I think he’s getting AJ’s timing down. Yet another left connects for Usyk. 48-47 Usyk.

Round 6 – Left hook by Joshua as Usyk smiles. Body shot by Joshua. Two-piece to the body by Usyk in response. Right hook around the guard of Joshua. Right hand by Joshua down the middle. There’s a left by Usyk. A jab and right cross and beautiful body work by Joshua who’s found something extra in the reserves. Slick combo by Usyk capped off by that right hook. Sticking right by Joshua. Usyk downstairs and then upstairs. Best round of the fight. 58-56 Usyk.

Round 7 – Sniping right hand by Usyk has sweat flying out of Joshua’s head. Good body work with that left by Joshua. Usyk just missing on a sweeping left. Joshua’s activity noticeably slowing here compared to earlier rounds. Double body shot by Usyk. Sharp left by Usyk and another one. Both men swinging and missing at the end there. 68-65 Usyk.

Round 8 – The issue with the slippery logo in the center of the ring has prompted a toweling of that area. Action is paused as a result. Now we’re back. Body work by Usyk. Right hand by Joshua is blocked. Legs get tangled and Joshua almost goes down. Hard jab by Usyk. Beautiful body shot by Joshua and Usyk answers with a left upstairs. Another hook to the body by Joshua. Usyk letting his hands go but not landing with much conviction, as Joshua drills him to the body. Right hand by Joshua just off-target. Now it’s Usyk going to the body once more. More body shots by Joshua forces Usyk to tie him up! Best work from Joshua in a good while. Slapping right by Joshua. Usyk eating more body shots to end the round. 77-75 Usyk.

Round 9 – Joshua able to get in a left hook. Body work by Usyk and then a shot upstairs. Joshua with two body shots and he tries to smother the Ukrainian. Right hook by Usyk. Body shot by Joshua and Usyk counters with a hook. Stinging body uppercut by AJ! Joshua warned for another low blow. Usyk with a jab. Big combination by Joshua. Right to the body by Usyk. Another body shot! Joshua starting to tee off! He senses some weakness in Usyk! It’s really rough and tumble by Joshua but he’s got Usyk in trouble. Right hand by Joshua! He’s coming back at the champ! Left hook and a right hand by Joshua! A clear Joshua round! 86-85 Usyk.

Round 10 – Usyk trying to pick up the speed and pace and he whacks Joshua with a right! Huge left by Usyk! And now Joshua is hurt! Two huge shots by Usyk! Joshua is stunned! Good body shot by Usyk. What a right by Joshua! Usyk is hurt! He ties up! Usyk lands an uppercut. And another one! Three-punch combo and Joshua is tiring! Joshua’s legs are weakening! Joshua motions Usyk to come at him. Left and a right hook by Usyk! Another right hook! Swarming shots from Usyk! Three-punch combo by Usyk! Then a slapping right by Joshua. 96-94 Usyk.

Round 11 – Usyk with the straight left. He’s going into his terminator mode. But Joshua isn’t out of this yet. For all we know he could be up on the scorecards. Sharp right hook by Usyk! Body work by Joshua but Usyk responding with a flurry. Straight left and a right hook. Another body shot and smother by Joshua. Four-punch combo by Usyk with the right hook at the end. Good right by Usyk! Joshua leaning on the champ. Up-jab by Usyk. Triple right hook by Usyk. And a straight left snaps Joshua’s head back. Good left by Usyk to the body and here comes Joshua to the body. More head shots from Usyk! Just missing on the left uppercut. 106-103 Usyk.

Round 12 – Usyk sticks the jab. Joshua slams home a left hook. Hard straight right by Joshua. Great defense by Usyk to dodge Joshua’s power shots after that. What a three-punch combo that stiffens Joshua’s legs! And another shot by Usyk! But a hook from Joshua! And he stuns Usyk! Back comes Usyk with a right hook! Joshua damn near tackles Usyk against the ropes. Two more shots by Usyk! Joshua is exhausted! Right hook by Usyk! Joshua with a straight right! Usyk answers back with a right hand. Joshua holding more often now. Two counters by Joshua and now Joshua is doing some serious roughhousing. This should be a clear Usyk win. 116-112 Usyk.

Result: Oleksandr Usyk def. Anthony Joshua by split decision to remain WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion

Main Card (1 PM ET)

Filip Hrgovic def. Zhilei Zhang by unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 114-113)

Callum Smith def. Mathieu Bauderlique by KO at 1:53 of Round 4

Badou Jack def. Richard Rivera by split decision (94-96, 96-94, 96-94)

Ziyad Almaayouf def. Jose Alatorre by TKO at 2:55 of Round 1

Ramla Ali def. Crystal Garcia Nova at KO at 1:05 of Round 1

Preliminary Card (10:30 AM ET)

Andrew Tabiti def. James Wilson by RTD at 3:00 of Round 5

Ben Whittaker def. Petar Nosic by unanimous decision (59-55, 59-55, 60-54)

Daniel Lapin def. Jozef Jurko by unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)

Traycho Georgiev def. Rashed Belhasa by split decision