OLEKSANDR USYK will start training for his rematch with Anthony Joshua, likely to take place in June of this year.
Ukraineโs Usyk had spectacularly outpointed Joshua last September to win the WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight belts. Joshua had triggered the clause in their contract to secure a rematch but those plans had to be put on hold when Russia invaded Ukraine and Usyk decided to return to his country and contribute to his homelandโs defence.
Choosing now to take on such a high profile heavyweight fight will also be a major platform to highlight the situation in his country and Usyk’s recent experiences. This, he believes, will be his next contribution to helping Ukraine.
โI decided to start preparing for a rematch with Anthony Joshua, a large number of my friends support me,โ he said.
Joshua has changed his set up since the defeat. No longer training with long time coach Rob McCracken heโs now based his camp in Loughborough with Angel Fernandez, who had been one of his assistant coaches.
Joshuaโs promoter is Eddie Hearn, who has taken the rest of Matchroom’s promotional stable to broadcaster DAZN. But Joshua is not part of this deal. His rematch with Usyk could still be on Sky Sports Box Office. Even though Sky are using Ben Shalomโs Boxxer as there regular promotional partner in the UK now, Hearn would still put together the Anthony Joshua bill with Matchroom fighters on the undercard.
Previously Hearn told Boxing News, โHad a great relationship with Sky, a good pay-per-view partner. DAZN are very aggressive, it would be a big acquisition for them. The relationship between Sky, DAZN and us doesnโt really come into it. Youโve got Matchroom Boxing events which are all exclusive on DAZN and then youโve got Anthony Joshua. Theyโre two different hats that we wear. We donโt make a decision on AJ for the best interests of Matchroom. We make a decision on AJ for the best interests of him.โ
โNegotiations are with Sky and not to do with Boxxer or Ben Shalom,โ he added. โIt would be our show. It would only be a Matchroom show.โ