Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion, made a significant impact on the boxing world this month by defeating Tyson Fury. However, his ambition to dominate the division was evident back in 2019 when he expressed a desire to fight Anthony Joshua over Andy Ruiz Jr – a decision based on the belief that one must beat the best to be the best.
At that time, Usyk was the mandatory challenger for either Joshua or Ruiz, who were set to compete for the unified heavyweight championship in a rematch in Saudi Arabia.
In the subsequent fight, Joshua, regarded as one of the most formidable heavyweights globally, was surprisingly defeated by Ruiz in an extraordinary match at Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2019. Joshua later avenged his loss to Ruiz by winning a unanimous decision in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Before Joshua’s redemption, Usyk was asked to choose between Joshua and Ruiz as his opponent. Despite being smaller in weight, height and reach, the Ukrainian chose Joshua, viewing him as a more significant challenge.
With AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently suggesting a trilogy with Usyk, it appears the undisputed champion would eagerly seize another opportunity to face Joshua, reports the Mirror.
In a candid chat with Sky Sports back in 2019, Usyk expressed his desire to take on the cream of the heavyweight crop, stating: “Anthony Joshua at Wembley. I think it would be much harder for me to fight Joshua.”
He further clarified his ambitions when reminded of his earlier comments about wanting to clash with the likes of Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Deontay Wilder: “I was asked the question, ‘Who would I like to fight? ‘ Of course, I named the three best heavyweights today in the division.”
Usyk elaborated on his drive to compete with the best, saying: “If you want to be the best, you have to fight the best. These guys today are the best ones and I wanted to fight the best one. If I am going to be fighting the regular guys, I’m going to be with the regular guys in the line, I want to be on top of it.”
Since his defeat by Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr. has secured victories over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz, both by unanimous decision. He’s set to face Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles come August 3. Ruiz has made no secret of his eagerness to square off against Usyk, mentioning he would “love” the opportunity.
Yet, Usyk, who clinched the undisputed heavyweight title after edging out Fury via a split decision on May 18, is gearing up for a rematch with the Gypsy King in Saudi Arabia this October. Regrettably for Usyk, the bout will likely be for the unified heavyweight championship rather than undisputed status, as he faces being stripped of the vacant IBF championship.
Filip Hrgovic, who has been the mandatory IBF challenger for nearly two years, might see his forthcoming fight with Daniel Dubois become a battle for the IBF title. Oleksandr Usyk’s camp has requested an exemption to allow him to keep his undisputed status before his anticipated rematch with Tyson Fury.
Eddie Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, has indicated that Anthony Joshua is open to fighting Fury or engaging in a third bout with Usyk this year if their planned rematch falls through. Usyk and Fury are reportedly still on track for a rematch this October, but Hearn expressed concerns about the tight schedule for both boxers on Matchroom’s YouTube channel.
He explained: “I don’t think Tyson Fury is gonna be over the moon with five or six weeks off, but that’s the obligation, there’s a lot of money. Who knows? If Usyk’s injured, can’t make the date, do you make Fury against Joshua with the winner fighting Usyk? I mean the answer for me is, ‘Yes, please.'”.
Hearn also noted that the final decision rests with Turki Al-Sheikh and the fighters themselves, saying: “But it’s down to His Excellency [Turki Al-Sheikh] and the fighters to make the decisions. They have a contracted rematch, but they have to be physically able to make that date, and I guess that’s the next obstacle to overcome.”
