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Former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew certainly believes that Oleksandr Usyk is a big enough puncher to score a stoppage win over Anthony Joshua.
Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, will challenge Joshua for the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight titles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25.
This contest will mark the third heavyweight outing for Usyk.
In his two heavyweight appearances, Usyk did not look as spectacular as he did when he competed at cruiserweight.
Bellew was knocked out by Usyk in November of 2018. It was the final cruiserweight appearance for Usyk and the final bout of Bellew’s career.
While some have questioned Usyk’s power at heavyweight, Bellew is not one of those critics.
“Believe you me mate, he hits hard enough to send me down. He’s exceptional. He’s the best I ever faced. He is so technically perfect. His footwork is on another level,” Bellew told the DAZN Boxing Show.
For the upcoming bout, Usyk will be trained by Anatoly Lomachenko, who is the father and trainer of three division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko.
In the opinion of Bellew, that scenario makes the upcoming bout that much harder.
“It’s a hard fight, I’m not gonna lie. It’s a very, very hard fight. If anything, it’s just got even harder because Usyk has now gone back with Lomachenko’s father. That makes it even harder because they will create a game plan that is gonna try and negate everything good that Anthony Joshua does,” Bellew told Talk Sport.
“They’re gonna try and take everything away from him. That’s what Usyk does so well. He takes away your strengths before he looks at implementing his own strengths. And by taking away your strengths, you’re lost. The things he does with his feet – he’s exceptional. So I think it’s a really hard fight, I think it’s really dangerous.”