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Joshua’s rematch with Usyk could be staged in UK, says promoter Hearn

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 WBA, IBF & WBO Heavyweight Titles – Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain – September 25, 2021 Oleksandr Usyk in action against Anthony Joshua Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said the United Kingdom is among the venues being considered to host the Briton’s rematch against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, adding that the fight will take place in June or July.

World heavyweight champion Usyk beat Joshua in front of a sell-out crowd in London in September last year to claim the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts. read more

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, Usyk returned to his homeland to join a territorial defence battalion, raising doubts about a rematch with Joshua.

However, Usyk said last month that he had begun preparations for the bout, with the Ukrainian’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk telling Sky Sports that Saudi Arabia was a potential venue. read more

“We’re in final negotiations for a couple of sites for either the end of June or early-to-mid-July,” Hearn told British media on Friday. “I reckon within two weeks we’ll have some news in terms of where that’s going to be.

“An option is in the UK. The difference is, we don’t really need negotiations with a venue in the UK, we just book it.”

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The winner could be in line for a unification bout with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of Britain.

-Reuters

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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