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The rematch between unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 19-0 (13) and former champion Anthony Joshua 24-2 (22) is on hold indefinitely due to the war in Ukraine.
Brit Joshua, 32, lost the WBA, WBO and IBF titles to the 35-year-old Ukrainian southpaw by unanimous decision in September and was expected to move directly into a rematch.
But with war breaking out in the Ukraine after Russia invaded the European country late last month, Usyk has revealed he won’t be back in the ring any time soon.
“I really don’t know when I’m going to be stepping back in the ring,” Usyk told CNN. “My country and my pride are more important to me than a belt.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is already exploring other options with an interim looking increasingly likely.
“AJ will fight absolutely anybody and now he’s come on to me and said, ‘Look, find out what’s happening with Usyk, but if I have an interim fight, here are some of the names that we like, let’s make them some offers’,” the Matchroom Boxing boss told iFL TV.
“I spoke to [Usyk’s promoter] Alex Krassyuk this morning.
“It’s hard to start chasing these guys – imagine what’s going on in their lives right now.
“I don’t think Usyk right now is thinking about fighting Anthony Joshua.
“What I said to Alex Krassyuk is, ‘We’re taking the fight with Usyk, we don’t want any other fight. If he needs more time, until September or October, we would fight in the interim. AJ wants to fight end of May, first week of June, so if you’re ready for that, brilliant. If you’re not, we totally respect that, and we’ll give you more time.’
“I think Alex and Usyk will talk over the next 24/48 hours.
“It sounds like he’ll need more time, understandably.”
Hearn added there are four potential opponents in the frame and none of them are pushovers.
“We’ve got to look at the opponents,” he said. “AJ was talking last night about Luis Ortiz, Otto Wallin – a southpaw, the same as Usyk, might make sense.
“Joe Joyce, even AJ talked about Deontay Wilder.
“I think if you said to AJ right now, ‘Who’s your top choice?’
“I think he’d probably go for Deontay Wilder. It’s not an interim fight, let’s be honest…
“One thing’s for sure, he’ll be fighting a top ten heavyweight, a world ranked heavyweight.
“By the way, I don’t think he should fight the names he’s mentioning, I’ll be honest with you…
“I’m not saying we have to fight someone that’s embarrassing, but do you really wanna be fighting the guys that you’re mentioning when we have a big ready-made fight with Oleksandr Usyk?
“AJ’s answer is, ‘Yes.’
“Don’t worry about it, I’m not gonna have the say, he’s the boss. But respect him and respect the fact that he’s a throwback fighter.
“Wilder, Joyce, Ortiz, Wallin, all these guys, they’re dangerous fights.”
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