Anthony Joshua set to confirm his next fight, could be announced by Friday
- Joe Hewlett
- 29 June 2021
AJ is set to return against a fighter looking to become just the third two-division world champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight after Evander Holyfield and David Haye.
Anthony Joshua will finally confirm his next heavyweight fight.
The WBA, IBF and WBO titleholder will take on undefeated WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. An official announcement could come by Friday.
"I don't want to say two weeks because you guys are bored of me saying that," Hearn said during a recent Instagram Live session.
"But (an announcement is coming) soon. September 25 is the date."The 'two weeks' jibe was aimed at Tyson Fury following months of negotiations with the WBC champion's team.
Despite agreeing a date and site fee for Joshua-Fury, talks would ultimately stall after a court arbitration ruled Deontay Wilder was entitled to a rematch with Fury.
The "Gypsy King" will take on Wilder in a third fight on July 24, and while there is no rematch clause, if Fury is to get beaten there will be a fourth fight between the pair.
It is the first major heavyweight trilogy since Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe and they will meet at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Joshua will return for the first time since his December win over IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev. The 2012 Olympian avoided a mid-round wobble and knocked out the Bulgarian veteran in round nine.
Joshua's previous fight was in 2019 when he overcame Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia via unanimous decision. Usyk has fought just twice at heavyweight since winning the World Boxing Super Series in 2018.
Injuries and a global pandemic have hampered his progression in boxing's most lucrative division although he did beat Derek Chisora in October.
At 200lbs, Usyk made six world title defences as well as winning all four major world titles. His final fight at cruiserweight saw him dismantle Tony Bellew in the seventh round in Manchester - the same venue he outpointed Chisora this year.
Joshua is still dreaming of a first all-British undisputed showdown against Fury and if both can come through their bouts unscathed, then December or January is a possibility.
"[I could face Fury at the] end of the year," Joshua said. "Let me get past Usyk first. But with or without Usyk in my life, I will fight Fury. Usyk isn't the be-all and end-all. Usyk doesn't determine the Fury fight.
"The Fury fight has to happen. It's a big fight, bigger than boxing, bigger than the belts. It will happen after the Usyk fight, after I defend my belts. The fight will be bigger, better than what it would have been."
