Home Boxing News Anthony Joshua should not be concerned about Oleksandr Usyk, says Carl Froch

Anthony Joshua should not be concerned about Oleksandr Usyk, says Carl Froch

Oleksandr Usyk with all the cruiserweight belts. Photo credit: Nick Potts/PA

Anthony Joshua has nothing to worry about from Oleksandr Usyk, according to Carl Froch.

Former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk 17-0 (13) will face his first real test as a heavyweight when he meets Dereck Chisora 32-9 (23) at Wembley Arena in London on Saturday night.

The 33-year-old Ukrainian southpaw is the WBO number one contender and will be next in line for a shot at unified heavyweight champion Joshua 23-1 (21).

Former world champion turned commentator Froch says Usyk lacks credibility at heavyweight after just one fight in the open weight class when he stopped late replacement Chazz Witherspoon in seven rounds in Chicago one year ago.

“I don’t think AJ will be worried,” Froch told Sky Sports: “He will be watching him, probably thinking to himself, ‘He’s not big enough for me. I’ve got size and reach.’ He’ll be quietly confident, AJ, I think.

“I really do think that AJ has got nothing to worry about in Usyk.

“I need to see how well Usyk performs against Chisora before I can even mention him in the same breath as AJ. I’m not giving him any credibility at heavyweight yet because I’ve not seen anything.

“Joshua is not worried about going in there with someone who’s as big and strong as him, who is going to back him up and try to knock him out.

“If there’s any concern there, he’s more going to be concerned about this technical ability of Usyk and the fact that it might be a bit of a stand-off.

“If it’s going to be a technical duel, then that might be a concern, because Usyk is so technically good, so talented.

“But I think AJ will be thinking, ‘I’ll just use my size and strength, and after two rounds of a jabbing contest, then I’m going to close him down and step on him.’

“His trainer Rob McCracken will be telling him, ‘Back this kid up, he’s 6-foot3, he’s not as big, not as heavy and as strong as you.’

“He can use his advantages and just squash him, get him out of there.”

If Usyk was to defeat Joshua he would join an elite group of cruiserweights who have successfully claimed the greatest prize in sports.

Froch says that is easier said than done.

“He’s a top, top cruiserweight, but there’s not many cruiserweights that step up and make that transition to heavyweight and do well,” said Froch.

“David Haye was good at cruiserweight. He wasn’t big enough.

“Evander Holyfield did it, but he had time to grow into the weight. If you want to go back as far as Michael Spinks ‘The Jinx’, who beat Larry Holmes twice after moving from light-heavyweight, you can go as far back as that.

“But there’s not many, who step up from cruiser and really dominate. Holyfield is probably the best example.”