Anthony Joshua could end up having to take an interim fight after cold water was once again poured on the chances that he will face Oleksandr Usyk this summer.
It was beginning to look as if Joshua might get his immediate world heavyweight title rematch towards the tail end of last week, but now it could be delayed as the situation in Usyk's native Ukraine continues to develop.
Promoter Eddie Hearn had told TalkSport as recently as this week that he felt the fight would happen, saying: “Is AJ vs Usyk happening now? I actually think it will. I actually think that fight will happen next and it will happen in June.”
But it now seems that with Vasyl Lomachenko opting to stay in Ukraine for the foreseeable future instead of fighting George Kambosos Jr, that Usyk will also stay and defend his country amid their recent invasion by Russia.
Speaking at a press conference to announce Joshua Buatsi vs Craig Richards today, he said that he now feels other options will have to be explored given the situation.
"I've changed my mind now," he said in an interview with iFL TV. "I had a conversation the other day and I felt that Usyk would make that fight for June, but you see Vasyl Lomachenko come out overnight and say 'I'm out of the Kambosos fight, I'm going to stay in Ukraine'.
"That probably makes it quite difficult for Oleksandr Usyk to go and do something different to that, they're very close as well. I'm due a catch-up with Alex Krassyuk today or tomorrow and we just need to know really. I know it's a very delicate situation but for AJ's career we just need to know.
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"Are we fighting an interim fight in June and going on to fight Usyk in September, October? Or are you ready to go at the end of June? If he's not, we'll let him wait but we want that fight now."
Lomachenko was in discussions to be allowed out of Ukraine to focus on training for a fight with unified champion Kambosos which would have taken place on June 5. But when he decided to stay at home during the conflict in his country, Hearn changed his tune on the possibility that Joshua faces Usyk next.
"They're very close," Hearn continued. "And it might look a bit strange if Vasyl says 'no I'm staying' and then Usyk says 'well no, I'm going'. But you can only imagine what's going on there. I can't imagine what I'd do or what decision I'd make if I were in that position.
"So we're giving him the respect, the time they need but we also need to move on with Anthony Joshua's career - no one has reached out to us [about an interim fight]."
