How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk live in the UK: The heavyweight boxing championship of the world is on the line in the AJ vs Usyk rematch. Here’s how to watch the big fight live.
Last time out, the Ukrainian hero Oleksandr Usyk gave his British counterpart Anthony Joshua a boxing lesson with a unanimous points division to capture AJ’s IBF, WBA (super), and WBO heavyweight championships.
The fight at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium last September was a rude awakening for the defending champ who lost the belts by scores of 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 in what was a big upset.
Joshua believes the rematch will be different, but the dominant Usyk has an embattled nation behind him as he looks to retain the titles at the event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this weekend. During Friday’s weigh in, the champ registered a lean 221.5lbs, while AJ tipped the scales at 244.4lbs. AJ says he’s ready for 12 rounds.
Usyk arrives in Saudi Arabia having spent time fighting in the Ukrainian war zone, so it’s unlikely he’ll be too phased as he seeks to hold on to the heavyweight belts, on the path to an eventual unification match. Usyk is an 8/15 favourite with the bookies, while the Brit is second favourite with oddsmakers at 7/4
Here’s everything you need to know about watching the big fight on the best TV, best smartphone and best laptop you have to offer.
AJ vs Usyk 2 fight time
It’s not Las Vegas, it’s not Wembley Stadium, it’s not even Spurs home ground. Nope, this fight is taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It’s a blow for UK fight fans who’d have loved the hot ticket for the rematch, but sportswashing pays really, really well.
Saudi Arabia is two hours ahead of the UK and the card will follow a UK-like schedule. The undercard begins at around 6pm on Saturday August 20. There are ten fights to get through first, but the ring walks for the main event is expected at about 10:30pm. Bed before midnight.
How to watch AJ vs Usyk 2 in the UK
Sky Sports Box Office is the only way you can watch the fight in the UK on Saturday night, with coverage starting at 6pm UK time. The entire card costs £26.95 for existing Sky TV subscribers. You can head here to book AJ vs Usyk 2 on Sky Sports Box Office via the web, or you can just use your remote and head to Sports and select Box Office on Sky Q or Sky Glass.
If you’re not a Sky TV customer, you can book here and select New To Sky Box Office. Once you’ve purchased you’ll be able to watch on the web or via the NOW app.
You’ll also be able to purchase the event on BT and Virgin Media platforms. On BT it’s on channel 496, while you can also make the booking via the BT Player. On Virgin, customers with TiVo boxes can head to Home > On Demand > Live Events to complete the purchase.
How to watch AJ vs Usyk 2 for free
You don’t need to purchase the fight via Sky Box Office if you happen to be Ukrainian and are in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter). You can watch the fight for free on Usyk’s YouTube channel with a VPN. The fight is also on free-to-air TV in the war-torn nation. You can gain access via a provider like Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection. However, if you’re not a Ukrainian native, this isn’t strictly above board and not really very ethical, so we wouldn’t recommend it.
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Watch safely with a VPN
If you regularly watch live sports online, you can boost your online privacy within a virtual private network (VPN). This works by masking your IP address from would-be snoops and wrongdoers. You can read our guide to the best VPNs before streaming the Champions League games. If you’re seeking a safe and secure VPN, we’d recommend Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection for streaming top sport. Also, here’s our guide to watching the Premier League in 4K HDR this season.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
