Oleksandr Usyk lighter than expected before rematch with Anthony Joshua

Adept at defying expectations inside the ring, Oleksandr Usyk has now taken to doing so outside of it as well after coming in at 221.5lb at the weigh-in ahead of his rematch with Anthony Joshua here on Saturday night.

The Ukrainian was expected to be considerably heavier than when the pair met in Tottenham 11 months ago but the difference was ultimately only half a pound.

“Your expectation is not every time met,” said Usyk having taken to the scales at the Abdullah Sports City Arena, where he will defend the WBA, IBF and WBO titles he took from Joshua last September via a unanimous points decision. That was undeniably the case for the majority in attendance given the footage that had been released by Usyk’s team from his pre-fight training camp in Dubai showing him to be noticeably bulkier than at any other point in his nine-year career. That, quite clearly, was another case of the two-weight champion throwing those in front of him off guard.

Joshua, meanwhile, came in at 244.5lb, four-and-a-half pounds heavier than he was last year, not a huge difference but nevertheless a sign that, unlike Usyk, he intends to stick to his mooted pre-fight plan of leaning into his superior size and weight, as well as generally being more aggressive, as he seeks to become heavyweight world champion for a third time, joining a group of fighters that includes Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis.

“I’m looking forward to the fight,” said Joshua at Friday’s weigh-in. “And I’m ready for 12 rounds.” Joshua’s strategy is clear – charge forward from the first bell and look to push his hulking, towering frame over his smaller opponent. He will hope that will provide him with the foundations to dictate proceedings and land the shots – or one big shot –