Joshua – who holds the WBA, IBF, IBO, and WBO world titles – was set to face WBC belt holder Fury in Saudi Arabia this summer in a heavyweight unification fight, but the latter is contractually obliged to first face Deontay Wilder for a third time. In stepped mandatory challenger Usyk, who won the WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title when he beat Derek Chisora last year.
Usyk has only recently made the step up to heavyweight, but he dominated the cruiserweight division. The 34-year-old was the undisputed champion in that weight class, amassing the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles and winning the 2017-18 World Boxing Super Series along the way. Usyk boasts an 18-0 professional record, and 13 of those victories have come via knockout.
As for Joshua, he has been beaten just once in his 25 fights, when he was on the receiving end of a stunning upset at the hands of Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019, but he avenged the defeat and regained his titles the following December. In his last outing, he defended his belts in December 2020 against Kubrat Pulev.
It’s shaping up to be a thrilling showdown between the pair, with Joshua putting his titles on the line once again while Usyk’s unbeaten record will be at risk. Tickets start at just £40 and are on sale now, while hospitality starts at £225. For more information on the fight, click here.
