Oleksandr Usyk WILL take on Anthony Joshua this summer after confirming he will begin training for the rematch.
Usyk had plunged the sequel into doubt when he returned to Ukraine following Vladimir Putin's invasion last month. He took up arms along with former world champion Vasyl Lomachenko and when the lightweight opted against accepting his own title fight, it was feared Usyk might do the same.
But the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion has now decided to leave his homeland and begin his training camp, likely in neighbouring Poland. His second clash with Joshua is expected to be staged at the end of June or the beginning of July.
"I decided to start preparing for a rematch with Anthony Joshua," Usyk wrote in broken English on social media. "A large number of my friends support me, all the rest of the good and peace, Thank God for everything."
Joshua lost his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts to Usyk last September and a rematch was expected to go ahead in the first half of 2022. Promoter Eddie Hearn feared earlier this week that his charge would have to arrange an interim fight.
Joe Joyce and Otto Wallin were among the contenders to step in but Joshua can now concentrate on winning back his belts for a second time as he was forced to do in 2019 when he was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit two years ago, the former world heavyweight champion has only been in action twice.
He stopped Kubrat Pulev in the seventh round at the end of 2020 before being stunned by Usyk with a unanimous decision defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. "AJ is good and loved the UFC [in London last weekend], but you can tell he wants to fight,” Hearn said earlier this week.
Will Anthony Joshua win his belts back? Let us know in the comments section below
"He wanted to get in there and fight. He is excited, he wants to be active and that is the one thing that has been missing a lot from his career.
"I think because of his commercial obligations, but also as well as that trying to keep more active with the pandemic, it has really been two fights in two years so he feels he wants to get active again."
