How Usyk Beat Anthony Joshua | Tactics Explained

Oeleskander Uysk has just done the unthinkable, defeating the talented and physically imposing champion Anthony Joshua. When I first talked about Usyk he had just moved up to heavyweight, and I ended the video by saying that I was excited to see if he could pull off a feat that few men not named Evander Holyfield had ever achieved. But now it’s official, so today, let’s take a look at the signature techniques that allowed Usyk to dominate cruiserweight and take the heavyweight championship.

Last time we went in depth on how Usyk deconstructed an opponent’s high guard, constantly varying angles, tempo and power until they could no longer keep track of when a punch was coming, where it was coming from or how hard it was going to be.

Today we’re going to look at how Usyk combines high risk-high reward footwork angles and head movement to masterfully control the ring. If you rewatch Usyk’s fight against AJ, you’ll notice all of these techniques at play. So let’s get to it, starting with the most basic principles then moving on to advanced tactics.

Aggressive Defense: http://www.modernmartialartist.com/do...
Footwork Wins Fights: http://www.modernmartialartist.com/do...
Principles of Power: http://www.modernmartialartist.com/do...
Mortal Weapons The Fight Comic: https://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Weapons...

There’s an old saying in boxing; when you’re not moving your feet you should be moving your head, and Usyk is usually moving both at once.

By consistently moving off center, Usyk keeps himself safe and sets up opportunities to slip and counter.

By dropping down to level change, Usyk not only stays a moving target, he also threatens body shots and power punches.

Level changes can make a fighter’s head easier to hit, but Usyk uses this inclination to draw punches on purpose so that he can land counters.

Meanwhile, Usyk’s small, economic steps allow for more precise angles and distance adjustments on the fly. And his lateral movement is reminiscent of Lomachenko, which only makes sense as the two do share the same coach.

Along with his ceaseless footwork and head movement, Usyk also keeps up a busy and varied jab. The double jab is a tried and true technique, and Usyk uses it beautifully. Usyk’s first jab or jab feint incites a reaction in the opponent, and the second jab takes advantage of that reaction.