Anthony Joshua activated a clause for a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk after losing his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles in a unanimous decision loss at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September.
Thursday 24 March 2022 07:12, UK
Oleksandr Usyk's team have resumed plans for a rematch with Anthony Joshua which is set to be scheduled this summer, Sky Sports understands.
The Ukrainian star returned to his home nation to help defend against the Russian invasion, but Usyk is now expected to continue his career later this year.
Joshua has activated a clause for a rematch with Usyk after losing his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles in a unanimous decision loss at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September.
But attempts to finalise terms were put on hold, with Usyk heading back to Ukraine to help his compatriots, and the two-weight world champion was pictured holding an assault rifle with the Kyiv Territorial Defense.
Otto Wallin, Luis Ortiz and Britain's Joe Joyce were on a shortlist of alternative opponents for Joshua, but Usyk is set to finalise terms for their second fight before finding a suitable location for his training camp.
Joshua recently confirmed that he started preparations for his next fight with Angel Fernandez, who was drafted into the British star's team ahead of the rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019.
Richard Riakporhe says training alongside Joshua and working under Fernandez's tutelage has provided him with additional motivation ahead of his cruiserweight showdown with Deion Jumah on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Riakporhe is set to take on fellow Londoner Jumah at Wembley Arena, with one of the unbeaten duo certain to lose their perfect record.
The 32-year-old has already extended his unbeaten record to 13-0 (with nine KOs) since teaming up with Fernadez last July, with Riakporhe looking to emulate Joshua by punching his way to world title glory early in his career.
"It has been absolutely amazing," Riakporhe told Sky Sports News. "You have AJ in the camp, I get a lot of advice. He's spoken to me about things that he's been through and things that I have to watch out for. Seeing him and what he's achieved, having him around me, it's more motivational for me as well.
"We want to achieve at least half of what he's achieved and that keeps the hunger and energy, and he kind of feeds back off that at the same time because he sees us on the way up, and remembers those days when he was coming up."
Watch a packed Boxxer card, including Riakporhe's showdown with Jumah, live on Saturday March 26 from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Action and 8.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
