Did the bell for the final round during the Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk ring early? Podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan took to Instagram to share this insight and it’s hard not to agree with him. Oleksandr Usyk dominated Anthony Joshua for the better part of 12 rounds, picking up a comfortable unanimous decision win over Joshua to become the new WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion of the world.
Oleksandr Usyk hurt Joshua in the third round, leaving him on wobbly legs. He started aggressively, leaving no room for Joshua to execute his game plan. Usyk was quick on his feet and showed great head movement against a very dangerous opponent like Anthony Joshua. Usyk hurt Joshua in the seventh round as well, leaving the British boxer bleeding from his nose, visibly hurt and tired as the round progressed.
It was the final seconds of the final round that Oleksandr Usyk really let it go, unleashing an onslaught on Anthony Joshua, who barely managed to survive the final flurry of punches, as the final bell brought curtain to the show. However, it was interesting to note the time, and there’s a reasonable argument that can be made that the final bell of the 12th round came in a little early.
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It is quite clear from the segment of the last 20 seconds of Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk that the clock on the screen disappears as it hits the 9th second. If we take the time it took for the final bell, it hardly counts for 4-5 seconds, possibly saving AJ as Usyk went for the finish.
However, a case can also be made that the DAZN clock could be seconds ahead of the official clock, leading to confusion.
Do you think the 12th round bell rang early during Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk?
It’s hard not to agree with Joe Rogan here. The sport of boxing continuously to be branded as being “rigged” and the final bell ringing significant seconds earlier leaves a lot of questions. Was it done to save Anthony Joshua? It won’t be wrong to say that a knockout loss wouldn’t have gone too well for Joshua, who did not look proficient enough against the former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Needless to say, another stoppage finish would have taken the shine away from AJ, who has over time become one of the biggest names in the sport. While the possibility of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua seems far and away, it won’t be wrong to say that a stoppage finish would have clearly swept away all the anticipation fans have behind the All-British boxing showdown.