Oleksandr Usyk Predicts Anthony Joshua vs Prime Mike Tyson

Undefeated heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has predicted who would have triumphed in a hypothetical blockbuster match-up between prime Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua.

WIth a professional record of 50 wins in 59 fights, Iron Mike is renowned for being one of the greatest and fiercest heavyweight boxers of all time. At just 20 years of age, he became the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title following his victory against Trevor Berbick in 1986, which is a record he still holds to this day. An illustrious career saw him reign as the undisputed world heavyweight champion between 1987 and 1990, and successfully knockout 44 of the 50 opponents that he defeated.

Joshua, meanwhile, is regarded as one of Britain’s finest ever boxers. Alongside his Olympic gold medal, AJ held the unified world heavyweight championship twice between 2016 and 2021. The 35-year-old has a stellar record with 28 wins in 32 fights, including 25 wins via knockout. He has defeated some of the best fighters of his generation, such as Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and Alexander Povetkin.

Oleksandr Usyk Predicts Anthony Joshua vs Mike Tyson

The Ukrainian backed his opponent, AJ, in a superfight

In a round of ‘Winner Stays On’ with MailSport Boxing, Usyk was asked to choose who would have won in a battle between two boxing greats of different generations – Joshua or Tyson?

Anthony Joshua & Mike Tyson’s professional boxing records (as of 28/01/25)
	Anthony Joshua	Mike Tyson
Fights	32	59
Wins	28	50
Losses	4	7
Draws	0	0
No contests	0	2

The Ukrainian has defeated AJ twice in his career, with the first time seeing Joshua resoundingly lose his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles. The rematch in Riyadh saw a closer affair between the two, but Usyk came out on top with a split decision victory to retain his heavyweight crown.

Anthony Joshua Next Fight

The Brit is eyeing a return to the ring this year

Joshua has confirmed that he will return to the ring in 2025, but an opponent is yet to be confirmed. An array of options are open to AJ, including a mouthwatering fight against Deontay Wilder. Like Joshua, Wilder is seeking a chance to redeem his heavyweight boxing career following recent defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.

Another option for Joshua is a potential rematch against Daniel Dubois, who impressively knocked him out at Wembley Stadium in September.

The long-awaited clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury seems unlikely now, however, after the Gypsy King announced his retirement from boxing again earlier this month.