Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 undercard: Complete list of fights before main event in 2022 boxing match
On August 20, Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua will again compete for heavyweight gold. In Saudi Arabia, the WBA, IBF, IBO, WBO and The Ring heavyweight titles are at stake in a rematch starting in 2021. Before that fight takes place, however, there are a couple of appealing starters to help this fight.
The August 20 fight card will feature some title eliminator fights in Zhang Zhilei vs. Filip Hrgovic and Callum Smith vs. Mathieu Bauderlique. Also, we’ll see the return of Badou Jack as Ramla Ali makes history.
The Sporting News examines the entire Usyk vs. Joshua 2 undercard.
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Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2 complete undercard
In the co-main event Zhang Zhilei will finally face Filip Hrgovic in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator bout. The fight was supposed to take place in May under Canelo Alvarez against Dmitry Bivol. Per the boxing scene, Hrgovic couldn’t train properly because his father died so close to the fight.
Hrgovic, 30, is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. Hrgovic made his pro debut in 2017 and won the 2018 WBC International heavyweight title. In 2020 he won the IBF International heavyweight title and defended it twice. His last fight was a TKO win over Emir Ahmatovic in December.
Zhilei is a 2008 Olympic silver medalist. Making his pro debut in 2014, he won the 2017 WBO oriental heavyweight title. Instead of facing Hrgovic in May, Zhilei beat Scott Alexander by TKO in the first round.
In a WBC light heavyweight title eliminator Callum Smith meets Mathieu Bauderlique. A silver medalist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Smith made his professional debut in 2012. As the English and WBC International Super Middleweight Champion, Smith defeated Rocky Fielding for the British Super Middleweight Title in 2015.
MORE: Oleksandr Usyk net worth: wallet history, career earnings for heavyweight boxing champ
From 2017 to 2019, Smith competed in the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament. He beat Erik Skoglund and Nieky Holzken to make it to the final. In Jeddah, Smith defeated George Groves by knockout in the finals to win the WBA (Super) and The Ring super middleweight titles. After defending the titles twice, Smith would lose them to Canelo Alvarez in December 2020. Smith returned in September 2021, beating Lenin Castillo via KO in a light heavyweight bout.
Bauderlique is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. He made his professional debut in 2011. After losing his first professional competition in 2017, Bauderlique is 9-0. As the WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Champion, Bauderlique’s last fight was a win over Igor Mikhalkin in September 2021.
Badou Jack is back in action against Richard Rivera. Jack made his pro debut in 2009. In 2015 he beat Anthony Dirrell to win the WBC super middleweight title. In 2017, Jack won the WBA (regular) light heavyweight title. Against Marcus Browne in 2019, he famously needed 25 stitches in his forehead after a headbutt.
Jack is on a four-fight win streak, his most recent bout being a KO win over Hany Aityo in May.
Rivera made his pro debut in 2017. His last fight was a KO win over Fidel Monterrosa in April.
MORE: Oleksandr Usyk’s best fights: ranking of the heavyweight boxing champ’s top opponents
Tyrone Spong, 36, will face Andrew Tabiti on the undercard. A former kickboxer, Spong won the 2013 GLORY 95kg Slam Tournament and has over 100 wins. Spong made his boxing debut in 2015. He won the WBO Latino heavyweight title in 2017 and the WBO Latino heavyweight title in 2018. Spong’s last fight was in 2019, a TKO win over Jeyson Minda.
Outside of boxing, Spong has competed in MMA fights. His last fight was a TKO loss to Sergei Kharitonov in January. That was with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC.
Tabiti made his pro debut in 2013. In 2016 he beat Keith Tapia for the NABF Cruiserweight Title. In 2018, Tabiti competed in the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament. He beat Ruslan Fayfer in the quarterfinals but lost to Yuniel Dorticos in the semifinals. Tabiti is on a two-fight win streak, his most recent fight being a TKO win over Shamarian Snider in May.
When will history be made? Ramla Ali meets Crystal Garcia Nova in Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female boxing match. Ali made her pro debut in 2020. Her most recent fight was a KO win over Shelly Barnett in Mach. Crystal made her pro debut in 2016. She is 2-2 in her last four fights. Crystal’s last fight was a fifth-round loss to Phannarai Netisri in May.
MORE: Anthony Joshua net worth: wallet story, career earnings for former heavyweight boxing champ
Daniel Lapin meets Josef Jurko. Lapin, 25, is a Ukrainian boxer who made his professional debut in 2020. He won two fights in 2021, his most recent a points decision win over Pawel Martyniuk in September. Jurko made his professional debut in 2017. In his last five fights he is 1-3-1. In his last fight in June, Jurko lost to Ondrej Budera by unanimous decision.
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Jose Alatorre also takes place on the map. Almaayouf, 22, will make his pro debut. He grew up in Egypt and has Saudi Arabian roots.
In an interesting fight Money Kicks takes on Kyle Paevie. Rashed Belhasa, known as Money Kicks, was born in 2002 and is the son of Saif Ahmed Belhasa, a high-profile construction mogul. From 2013, he rose to fame as a YouTuber. In 2021, he competed under the Social Gloves boxing banner. Money Kicks fought Anas Elshayib and Ajmal Khan and beat both of them. Paevie has lost all three fights since his debut in 2021.
Finally, Ben Whittaker meets Peter Nosic. A silver medalist at the 2020 Olympics, Whittaker made his pro debut in July, defeating Greg O’Neill by knockout. Nosic turned pro in 2021 and has won all six of his pro fights. The 23-year-old has three wins by KO.
MORE: Who is Money Kicks?
When is Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2?
- Date: 08/20
- Main Card: 12 p.m. ET | 17:00 CET | 2 p.m. AEST
- Main Event: 5:15 p.m. ET | 10:15 p.m. CET | 7:15 a.m. AEST (approximately)
Usyk vs. Joshua 2 will take place on August 20th. The main card begins at 12 p.m. ET | 17:00 CET | 2 p.m. AEST. Usyk and Joshua were supposed to be around 5:15 p.m. ET | leave for the ring 10:15 p.m. CET | 7am AEST, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2
- USA, Canada, Australia: DAZN
- UNITED KINGDOM: Sky Sports box office
The fight will be streamed on DAZN in most countries around the world, including the US, Canada and Australia.
However, Sky Sports Box Office won the rights to fight in Joshua’s home territory (UK).
Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua 2 PPV price: how much is the card?
- DAZN monthly subscription: $19.99 in US, $20 in Canada, $13.99 AUD
- DAZN annual subscription: $99.99 in US, $150 in Canada
In the United States, Canada and Australia and most territories worldwide, the fight will be broadcast on DAZN but not on PPV.
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- Sky Sports box office: £26.95 in the UK
Fight fans in the UK will have to shell out £26.95, a £2 increase on the price set by Sky Sports for AJ and Usyk’s first encounter.