Politics
Hearn reveals Anthony Joshua and Uysk HAVEN’T signed contracts for Saudi showdown and London could still land rematch
ANTHONY JOSHUA and Oleksandr Usyk have NOT signed contracts to throw down in Saudi Arabia this summer.
The oil-rich Saudis – who hosted Joshua’s 2019 showdown with Andy Ruiz Jr – are currently the frontrunners to stage the pair’s eagerly-anticipated heavyweight rematch.
ReutersAnthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to renew their rivalry in the summer[/caption]
Saudi Arabia have reportedly bagged the pair’s eagerly-anticipated rematchGETTY
REUTERSBut promoter Eddie Hearn insists no contracts have been signed[/caption]
But promoter Eddie Hearn insists reports of the pair being set for a desert dust-up on July 23 are premature.
When asked if the rematch is set to land in Saudi, the Matchroom Boxing chief told iFL TV: “Not true, it’s in discussion.
“I had a call today from a journalist who said, “I saw a journalist broke it’s a signed deal for this date.’ It’s not.
“No formal contracts have been finalised. Yes, that is a date that’s under consideration and an offer that’s been made.
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“We have other various sites, other various offers in place. Obviously, this is a financial split – this deal – with Usyk.
“So Team Usyk and Alex Krassyuk and those guys are involved in those conversations.
“They’re going to want to go to the most lucrative site as well.”
Joshua, 32, was turned over by Usyk in their Tottenham tussle last September and lost his grip on the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles.
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Hearn would like the rematch to take place in London but admits the second instalment of Usyk vs Joshua will likely go to the highest bidder.
He continued: “We’d like to do the fight in London. We also appreciate there is much bigger money for the fight elsewhere.
“We’ll make a collective decision over the next two weeks and we’re reviewing all the contracts and offers that have been made for the fight from the various sites.”
Hearn wants Joshua to compete twice this year and insists that’s only possible if he rematches Usyk before the end of July.
He said: “It’s looking likely that it’ll fall in July. It’s very important [that] AJ fights at least twice this year.
“And that will only happen if we do a fight in June or July. So that’s the absolute cut-off.
“I think the July 23 date was mentioned, that will be the cut off final date to make sure that he’ll be able to fight in December again.”
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He added: “Two weeks away from an announcement. And like I said, everything is being finalised now.
“All the offers are being reviewed, all the contracts are being reviewed and we’ll make an announcement in due course.”
