Oleksandr Usyk has some words of advice for Anthony Joshua ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
Joshua and Fury are heading towards a Battle of Britain later this year, with the winner staking his claim as the second best heavyweight of a generation behind Usyk.
The Ukrainian beat both men twice on his way to claiming the undisputed heavyweight championship. He has entertained a trilogy fight against Fury before retiring, but, in contrast, has become a key part of Anthony Joshua’s new training set up, essentially ruling out a third fight between them.
Under the Ukrainian’s coaching team, ‘AJ’ will have a ‘warm-up’ fight against little-known Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Saudi Arabia before facing Fury towards the end of the year.
Speaking on social media shortly after the announcement was made, Usyk reiterated his belief that ‘AJ’ will become undisputed in 2027 alongside a message of, “just work, no excuses.”
@anthonyjoshua just work, no excuses💪 pic.twitter.com/zEjR3O9KeK
— Oleksandr Usyk (@usykaa) April 28, 2026
A lot must happen for that dream to become a reality, including Usyk either relinquishing or being stripped of the three major belts he holds. His WBC strap will be on the line in an upcoming clash with kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven, but the WBA and IBF have not yet clarified the status of their titles.
The Ukrainian southpaw has shown interest in facing the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois after Verhoeven, meaning he is aiming to become a three-time heavyweight world champion.
Whether or not Joshua has the desire to continue fighting once the belts fragment – if and when Usyk retires – remains to be seen. A rematch against Fury is expected depending on how the first encounter plays out, and two wins would certainly stand him in good stead. However, if the goal is to collect all four titles, the former unified champion will be faced with a new generation of heavyweights, including Moses Itauma and Wardley.
