Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk Rematch Confirmed For 20 August In Saudi Arabia

The second fight between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk hs been confirmed for 20 August in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The pair first met in September last year, with Usyk (19-0) beating the Brit on points in London, taking his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles in the process.

The Ukrainian will be putting those belts on the line in Jeddah as Joshua (24-2) looks to bounce back from the second defeat of his professional career and become world heavyweight champion once again.

Joshua said: ‘What a roller coaster journey, fighting for the Heavyweight Championship of the world for the 12th consecutive time.

‘I won the belt, unified the division won another belt, lost the belts, became two-time Unified Heavyweight Champion and now have my date with history set to become three-time Unified Heavyweight Champion of the world. What an opportunity.

‘Fighting championship level back to back has had its pros and cons, but I decide every day to get stronger, to learn from my experiences and grow. A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and I am the happiest and most motivated I have been.

‘Thank you to the organisers, to 258MGT, Matchroom Boxing and to all the boxing fans across the world, with a special shout out to the Ukrainian fans who have been through a really tough time.’

Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk added: ‘The rematch is on the way. The fight will be much bigger and more spectacular than the first. It is new history in the making. Being a part of this event is a huge honour.

‘Our country is now fighting for its heritage. Our mission is to expand its legacy. With the help of the Lord we will achieve this.’

Joshua will fight in Saudi Arabia for the second time and will be hoping for the same result as last time he was in the country, when he beat Andy Ruiz in their rematch in December 2019 after AJ’s surprise defeat to the Destroyer earlier that year.

Usyk will fight in Saudi for the first time as he looks to keep hold of his perfect professional record.

Photo Credit: Getty

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