While Eddie Hearn claims that the pending rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua could land in either “late June” or “early-to-mid July,” Dan Rafael claims there’s a more specific working date: July 23, potentially in the Middle East.
The initial date on the table was June 25th, but it’s not surprising to see them delay it a bit. Usyk (19-0, 13 KO) has spent the last several weeks as part of Ukraine’s military; some extra time to get back in the boxing groove makes sense.
As for the location, there’s been no shortage of planned Middle Eastern blockbusters that failed to pan out, and Hearn says it could still land in a UK stadium. The pair first met at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September, and one has to imagine that the rematch could draw an even larger crowd.
Wherever it ends up, the stage is set for an undisputed heavyweight title fight by the end of 2022. If the winners of this fight and Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte don’t square off afterwards, there’s no salvaging the division.