LONDON – Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said that the United Kingdom is among the venues being considered to host the Briton’s rematch against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, adding that the fight will take place in June or July.
World heavyweight champion Usyk beat Joshua in front of a sell-out crowd in London in September last year to claim the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.
Following Russia’s war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, Usyk returned to his homeland to join a territorial defence battalion, raising doubts about a rematch with Joshua.
However, Usyk said last month that he had begun preparations for the bout, with the Ukrainian’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk telling Sky Sports that Saudi Arabia was a potential venue.
“We’re in final negotiations for a couple of sites for either the end of June or early-to-mid-July,” Hearn told British media according to Reuters. “I reckon within two weeks we’ll have some news in terms of where that’s going to be.
“An option is in the UK. The difference is, we don’t really need negotiations with a venue in the UK, and we just book it.”
The winner could be in line for a unification bout with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of Britain.
Usyk upset a London crowd back in September as he beat the Brit by unanimous decision to claim the heavyweight titles at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Usyk, who dominated in his 12-round win over Joshua last year at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, has revealed he has begun preparing for the fight.
“Now I want to concentrate as much as possible on my preparation,” he said.
“And I have to get rid of such thoughts as much as possible in order to be prepared well for the Anthony Joshua fight and be able to glorify again my God and my native land.”
The rematch was initially planned to be held again at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium or at Wembley – but now looks likely to take place in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua fought there in December 2019, in a similar rematch against Andy Ruiz who had inflicted AJ’s first defeat and first loss of his titles.
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