After witnessing Anthony Joshua endure two knockdowns at the hands of Kristian Prenga, Oleksandr Usyk has offered a knockout forecast for the anticipated heavyweight bout between the British fighter and Tyson Fury.
The highly anticipated clash between the two former two‑time world champions is expected to take place later this year, after each has completed his respective preparatory fight.
Fury opened his campaign with relative ease, securing a dominant seven‑round performance against the 46‑year‑old Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.
Meanwhile, Joshua appeared to face an ostensibly low‑risk opponent on Saturday night, but the 36‑year‑old was caught off guard and nearly suffered a first‑round stoppage in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The first knockdown occurred within 20 seconds, as ‘AJ’ was knocked down by an unremarkable right uppercut delivered by Prenga.
He was floored again shortly thereafter in the opening round, yet he mustered sufficient resilience to rally and secure a second‑round stoppage win.
Although his performance lacked polish, Usyk maintains that the 36‑year‑old possesses the capability to defeat Fury inside the distance.
During an interview with talkSPORT, the Ukrainian reiterated his confidence that Joshua—now regarded as a friend and training partner—has the tools needed to overcome his long‑standing domestic rival.
“AJ win. [He will] knock him out.”
Usyk previously dethroned Joshua with a unanimous decision in 2021, then captured the rematch via a split verdict the following year.
He subsequently recorded two point victories over Fury in 2024, a series that many observers consider more competitive than his bouts against Joshua.
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