Eddie Hearn is hopeful that the rematch negotiations between IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua will be completed this week for a fight on July 23rd in the Middle East.
Hearn acknowledged that he needed to get the Joshua-Usyk 2 fight signed because he’s only ten weeks away. The last thing Hearn needs is for the negotiations to drag into June. What a nightmare that would be for him, the fighters, and the fans.
Joshua has changed out his trainer in hopes that he can turn things around in the rematch, but it’s going to be difficult for him. Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) has the advantage in speed, technical ability, conditioning, and the chin department.
Last September, Usyk dethroned Joshua, beating him by a 12-round unanimous decision in front of his own fans in London, England. Joshua’s decision to try and box Usyk has given him cover for his loss, but he’s not going to have any excuses if he gets beaten in the rematch.
He’s expected to try and impose his size on the smaller fighter Usyk. If that doesn’t work, it means Joshua simply wasn’t good enough, which many fans already believe to be the case.
“I hope that this week we will get it done,” said Matchroom Boxing head honcho Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show about the Joshua vs. Usyk II rematch.
“July 23rd in The Middle East is, for sure, the frontrunner,” Hearn continued about the Joshua – Usyk 2 fight. “It’s not done, it’s not signed, but we are nine, ten weeks away from that fight now.
“It’s ready to get that fight announced, and it’s ready to let these boys start bashing up sparring partners and getting ready for the unified heavyweight championship,” said Hearn.
“I haven’t heard anything from Usyk recently and the problems that they’ve got,” said trainer Adam Booth to iFL TV. “Whether that fight actually happens or not, I don’t know.
“It’s still the same fight as it was the first time around. AJ still needs to impose himself physically and not try and play the technical game with a technical master, even though Usyk is the smaller man. Technically, he’s very advanced.
“The fights the same as it was the first time around. What I’m saying is AJ’s chance to win is to assert himself physically and not spend too long trying to be too cute.
“If Usyk is healthy, I don’t think AJ should standoff and box with him. I think he’ll be a bit more assertive,” said Booth.
