Oleksandr Usyk defeats Anthony Joshua, becomes heavyweight champion

Anthony Joshua’s reign as world heavyweight champion ended in London on Saturday after he was defeated by Oleksandr Usyk. Oleksandr Usyk is crowned as the new unified world heavyweight champion after a unanimous decision win over Anthony Joshua with scores of 117-112, 116-112, 115-113. Usyk has become the third boxer after Evander Holyfield and David Haye to win world titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight. The 34-year-old won heavyweight gold at the London 2012 Olympics while Joshua triumphed in the super-heavyweight division. Anthony Joshua earlier said he had no intention of vacating any of his heavyweight belts. The British boxer had put his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts on the line against the WBO mandatory challenger from Ukraine. Before the fight, Joshua weighed in 19 pounds heavier than Usyk. Britain’s Joshua, 31, tipped the scales at 240 pounds (109 kilograms), with the Ukrainian challenger coming in at a career-high 221.25 pounds. The two combatants had an intense stare-down before smiles broke out and Joshua accepted Usyk’s offer of a handshake.