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Nigeria’s former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua will reopen his focus of a rematch with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who stopped him last September in their title fight.
Against initial reports that Usyk had opted out of a rematch in order to help his country in their ongoing war with Russia, Joshua will have to drop plans for other fights and turn his focus back on the new champ.
Megasportsarena.com reports that this is sequel to a report that Usyk signaled his intention to defend his world heavyweight titles against Joshua by announcing that he will begin preparations for their fight.
It will now be another big step for the man that shocked Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to claim the WBA, IBF and WBO belts although the Nigerian-born Briton immediately indicated he would activate a rematch clause.
There was uncertainty about when the return bout would take place after Usyk went back to his native Ukraine to enlist in the military following Russia’s invasion of the country.
However, the 35-year-old posted a video alongside the short message behind a building which bore a banner featuring the Ukrainian flag’s colours, with a message reading: “Hands off Ukraine, Putin!”
His announcement paves the way for a summer showdown against Joshua, whose promoter, Eddie Hearn, earlier this week floated the idea of his fighter taking on someone else in an interim contest in June.
As a father of three young children, Usyk is exempted from the law that has required men of fighting age to stay in Ukraine and there are reports he has already departed the country.
The former undisputed world cruiserweight champion, who joined Ukraine’s forces in the territorial defence battalion in Kyiv last month, also expressed bewilderment at the situation with Russia.
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.
“I decided to start preparing for a rematch with Anthony Joshua, a large number of my friends support me, all the rest of the good and peace, thank God for everything.”
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