Anthony Joshua will fight Deontay Wilder on the SAME NIGHT as Oleksandr Usyk’s next bout, says Eddie Hearn
OLEKSANDR USYK is set to feature on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s super-fight with Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is finalising a deal for AJ to face Wilder but the Saudis wanted Usyk and Tyson Fury on the card.
But Fury, 34, instead looks set to fight ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in an exhibition bout.
Usyk is due to defend his titles next against WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois on August 26 in Poland.
But Filip Hrgovic would be the next in line to challenge for his titles, which Hearn says will “100 per cent” be on Joshua’s undercard.
He told Boxing Social: “It will be Filip Hrgovic. He’s next in line of Tyson Fury doesn’t take the fight, which he’s not.”
Joshua, 33, is also set to return in an interim bout before facing Wilder, 37, in the Middle East.
And Dillian Whyte has SIGNED a deal to fight AJ on August 12 at the O2 Arena.
So while Hearn is confident he will finalise a deal for Joshua to fight Wilder, his return against Whyte has taken priority.
He said: “I have no doubts we’ll get this fight made, no doubts at all.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
“But also, out focus is on August 12th to make sure we deliver that.”
And according to Sky Sports, Whyte has signed and returned the contract with an official announcement set to confirm the fight.
It came after Joshua’s team agreed to take out a rematch clause in a bid to get the Battle of Britain over the line.