WBO to order Joshua v Usyk in next 48 hours

[Master]

If Andy wasn't too fat to win against AJ, then Usyk isn't too small to get a win over AJ!


On paper, this is all AJ.
In the ring, it's the one who with the spirit of a warrior that gets their hands raised. IMO this is a tossup in that we just dont know what Usyk can handle as well as we don't know if AJ is forced to put in a high workrate, can he maintain it for 12 rounds?


I admit, I didn't see this one coming. AJ vs Fury somehow in the last week turned into Aj vs Usyk & Fury vs Wilder...all in the same week?

It is a crazy turn of events but the way they have made these matches so quickly gives me the impression they want to get these fights out of the way to get back to AJ v Fury.

[Master]

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk update: Extension granted for negotiations as Usyk’s promoter reveals they are ‘working hard’ to finalise deal

Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are seemingly moving closer to finalising a deal to fight next.

The Ukrainian’s promoter Alex Krassyuk has told talkSPORT that the WBO have now granted an extension to the negotiations period for their mandatory bout.

The WBO initially agreed to sanction AJ for an undisputed clash with Tyson Fury, but this was scuppered by Deontay Wilder’s arbitration victory.

Now Fury must face Wilder instead and so the WBO have reacted by ordering AJ vs Usyk – the overdue mandatory.

Krassyuk explained to White and Jordan on talkSPORT: “We want Usyk to fight AJ, we are working hard on that.

“The WBO gave additional time for negotiations until Friday for us to finalise the deal.

“So we are in touch with Eddie, we are working hard on the details and hopefully we will end up with a deal by Friday.”

This is standard procedure for many ordered fights.

If the promoters are making progress but will struggle to meet the initial deadline, they can request an extension to finalise their agreement.

Should a deal not be finalised, Joshua will have the option to go to an open market purse bids situation or vacate his title.

This appears unlikely for Joshua vs Usyk with both parties working towards a deal.

Regarding a potential venue for the bout, Krassyuk added: “For us it’s not the main issue yet.

“First of all we need to settle the conditions inside the fight and the location will be defined afterwards…

“He [Usyk] is great, he is confident, he wants to fight.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/8...ate-extension/

[Master]

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September

Anthony Joshua is poised to face Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in September.

The WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion of the world and his team had spent months negotiating an undisputed heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury.

However, legal complications scuppered that all-British showdown and Fury will instead fight Deontay Wilder for a third time.

Joshua has now been forced to look for a different opponent next and has agreed terms to face WBO mandatory challenger Usyk, his promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed.

“I can tell you that this week, that this is a more confident footing than the Joshua – Fury negotiations, because I know Alex Krassyuk very well, and I know Usyk very well,” Hearn told DAZN.


“This week that fight will be signed. We’re looking at September in London. Just finalising the details.

“It’s a great fight, a dangerous fight, it’s not the one we necessarily wanted or expected. But it’s a high level heavyweight fight. It’s a unified heavyweight champion against the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and on we go with that fight – it’s a big event.”

As Sky Sports first reported, the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is set to stage Joshua vs Usyk.

That was the initial venue for Joshua’s IBF mandatory challenge from Kubrat Pulev last summer before COVID-19 struck.

The bout was instead rescheduled for the Wembley Arena in December in front of a limited number of spectators as they witnessed the Brit deal with the Bulgarian in nine rounds.

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/8...tspur-stadium/

[Master]

Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk set for 25 September, says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title defence against Oleksandr Usyk will take place on 25 September, promoter Eddie Hearn has said.

Joshua, 31, will risk his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against the Ukrainian, who is his mandatory challenger.

Usyk has not challenged for a title at heavyweight but has held all four belts a division lower at cruiserweight.

Hearn revealed the date on Instagram. He has previously touted London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a venue.

The fight arrives after months of negotiations failed to deliver a bout between Joshua and WBC world champion Tyson Fury for all four significant titles at heavyweight.

Both sides of the Joshua-Fury negotiations have since sought to blame the other but the hope remains that the two Britons could fight if they come through their next bouts.

Fury will face American Deontay Wilder for a third time in Las Vegas on 24 July.

The 32-year-old became a two-time world heavyweight champion by beating Wilder in a rematch in February 2020 and has not fought since.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/57619983