Eddie Hearn has predicted Anthony Joshua will stop Oleksandr Usyk within six rounds of their highly-anticipated heavyweight title rematch.
Further delays may have caused the fight announcement to be pushed back again, but it appears that Joshua will finally get his contractually obligated second bout against Usyk this summer. And Hearn believes that it won't be going the distance like the pair's last meeting when they square off in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua was thoroughly beaten on the scorecards after a dominant showing from Usyk in London when they first fought. He was the favourite heading into their bout after the Ukrainian failed to impress against Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora in his initial heavyweight bouts, but it all clicked on the night for the challenger.
And now, with the odds having flipped in favour of the new champion, Hearn believes that Joshua will be able to land a big finish and become a three-time heavyweight title holder. "AJ KOs Usyk within six rounds," Hearn told fans during a Q&A on Instagram Live. "I rate Usyk but I believe in Anthony Joshua and I believe he's going to put it right in the rematch, I really do."
Joshua and Usyk had agreed to meet on July 23 for the unified belts in a mega-money Saudi Arabian fight, but they are now facing a two-week delay. The Telegraph reported today that it could be as long as three weeks, but Hearn insists there will be an announcement soon.
"We are close to announcing AJ's next fight," Hearn added. "If you watched my Kugan Cassius interview yesterday [iFL TV] you would have seen there was a slight delay, but news very soon."
Yesterday, Hearn told iFL TV that the venue and date were all but done, but that if there were to be a delay it would be no more than two weeks. “We have agreed to a deal for the site, and the working date of July 23," he said, before the Telegraph story came out today.
“We are pretty much ready to announce. When you question about whether there will be a delay. If there is you’re talking about two weeks, and it’s for no other reason than time to make sure we can promote the fight in the right way.
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“The fight is happening, the fight is agreed in terms of where it will take place and both sides have agreed, both sides have agreed to the deal, both sides have agreed to everything.
“It’s just that it’s taken 10 days longer than we wanted it to. Without putting a date on it, all I can tell you is we’re finalising the final bit of paperwork and everything is agreed, so stand by.
"July 23, two weeks later is August - AJ is fighting twice this year. So any delay could only be a couple of weeks because we want to make sure he’s good to go in December again. July 23 is still the working date, but if there was a delay, it wouldn’t be [because of] anybody. It’s just time.
“It’s a huge deal, and it has taken a lot of time, but deals do. It’s just the way it is. We’re really happy with our partners, we’re really happy with the deal, and the process. We look forward to a huge event, and you’ll be hearing about it very soon.”
