By: Sean Crose
Alexander Krassyuk, promoter of Oleksandr Usyk, told them: “Saudi Arabia is where we are discussing. BBC. “The end of June is the date that we are looking at. Nothing has been confirmed on paper. We’re doing it.” While Krassyuk admits there are no guarantees (“There are other options, but we take it one step at a time”), Saudi Arabia could be once again where Anthony Joshua fights. Back in 2019, Joshua traveled to the Middle Eastern kingdom to regain his WBA, WBO and IBF belts from Andy Ruiz, who snatched them from the British in an epic bout Emperor the previous June in New York.
Joshua can now face Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia to regain the belt the Ukrainian took from him via decision last fall. While Saudi Arabia is a unique and lucrative venue to host a major game, the country (as well as any major sporting event that takes place there) has been criticized to a degree. great. “Gulf country human rights record and recent security concerns,” writes BBC“It will again be marked if such a typical sporting event is held in the country.”
Although Usyk was a highly regarded boxer when he stepped into the ring to face Joshua for the first time last September, the undisputed former cruiser champion’s victory over the famous Joshua was something quite unexpected. Usyk made such an impression in the ring that night that some are now wondering if towering Joshua can actually win the upcoming rematch. With that said, Joshua changed his approach to fight Ruiz a second time and ended up knocking out his former conqueror manually, regaining the championship belt in the process.
As for Usyk, the man left the war-torn Ukraine to prepare for his second fight with Joshua. After Russia began its invasion of his homeland, Usyk was free to return to Ukraine to do his part, earning much praise for his apparent bravery. Now that he has once again entered the fighting world, Usyk has the support of Ukrainians as remarkable as former heavyweight titles Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. “There were pros and cons and it was a difficult decision for Oleksandr Usyk,” Wladimir said, “but let the Ukrainian flag be raised and our song sounded and one of the country’s ambassadors. We in the world have the right to think that can be more positive than negative. ”
