Oleksandr Usyk Confirmed Plans for a Rematch Against Anthony Joshua

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk left his native Ukraine to prepare for his rematch with Anthony Joshua.

The Ukrainian professional boxer Oleksandr Usyk confirmed he is preparing for a rematch with Anthony Joshua in a post on his official Instagram account. The Ukrainian star helped to defend his country from the Russian invasion after enlisting in Ukraine’s military, but Usyk is now set to continue his boxing career. He will cross the border from Ukraine to Poland and begin training camp for the heavyweight title rematch this summer.

I’ve decided to start preparing for a rematch with Anthony Joshua. That’s how I will help my country more and it’s better than being in territorial defence and running around Kyiv with a machine gun.” Usyk said, going into further detail about his reasons behind switching his focus to a rematch with Joshua.

Dear friends, many of my friends and close ones called me and supported me in this. Haters, I wish you well and wish you happiness, joy and peace.” He added.

Otto Wallin, Luis Ortiz and Britain’s Joe Joyce were on a shortlist of alternative opponents for Joshua, but Usyk is now set to finalise terms for their second fight before finding a suitable location for his training camp.

Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing told ESPN earlier this month he planned to wait as long as Usyk needed and would consider an interim fight for Joshua (24, 22 KOs) in the meantime. Now, plans are underway to secure a date and location for the rematch with Usyk.

Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) soundly defeated Joshua via unanimous decision in September to capture the unified heavyweight championship. Joshua, who entered the ring the favourite, exercised his contractual right to a rematch with financial terms already agreed upon.

The timing of the encore encounter was in doubt after Usyk said, “I really don’t know when I’m going to be stepping back in the ring.”

My country and my honour are more important to me than a championship belt,” Usyk added.

Usyk is No.2 heavyweight and No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer. The Olympic gold medalist won three heavyweight belts in just his third fight in the division following a dominant run at cruiserweight.

After the lopsided nature of the first meeting with Joshua, Usyk will be installed as a heavy favourite to retain his belts and possibly meet the winner of the April 23rd fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte later this year.

Joshua was upset by Andy Ruiz Jr. via seventh-round TKO in June 2019 but won his titles back with a decision victory in the rematch six months later.