Eddie Hearn announced that Anthony Joshua had exercised his contractual right for an immediate rematch against Oleksandr Uzyk to determine the unified heavyweight champion.
Hearn stated that he intends to stage Usyk Joshua 2 in the spring.
Hearn stated, "Back in the game, looking for him to become three-time world champion."
Joshua, 31, had thirty days to notify the other side in writing that he was exercising his rematch clause. Both boxers cannot stage an interim fight prior to the rematch.
Despite Joshua's size advantage and heavyweight experience, the battle for Olympic gold medalists at the 2012 Games was not very competitive. Joshua was defeated by Usyk (19-0; 13 KOs), who boxed as a heavyweight for the third time.
Joshua appeared to be on the brink of being stopped by the former undisputed champion cruiserweight (24-2, 22KOs) in the final seconds of a bout that saw no knockdowns. Joshua was still stunned on many occasions.
Joshua, a U.K. superstar, was left with a severely damaged right eye after the fight and sat down on his stool for several minutes. Joshua lost the unanimous-decision fight for only the second time in his career. He was also defeated by Andy Ruiz Jr in the seventh round.
Joshua used the rematch clause to exact revenge six months later in Saudi Arabia.
ESPN's No. 1 is Usyk, a Ukrainian 34-year-old. 2 heavyweight and No. 9 pound-for-pound boxer. ESPN's No. 1 boxer is Joshua. 4 heavyweight.
The huge victory by Usyk ended plans for a Tyson Fury/Joshua superfight in the first half 2022. Fury and Joshua had hoped to meet in Saudi Arabia on Aug. 14, but an independent arbitrator decided that Fury owed Wilder another fight. They will meet Saturday to defend the WBC heavyweight title (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+ TV.
WBC decided that if Saturday's winner doesn't unite with Usyk next, then the victor will be asked to fight Dillian Whyte (the long-standing WBC No. 1 contender. If Whyte is able to defeat Otto Wallin in London on October 30, he may be eligible to fight Fury and Wilder in the first part of 2022.
