Talks resumed last week for Anthony Joshua to fight Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight rematch at The O2 on August 12, but request for rematch clause in Joshua's favour had complicated negotiations between the British rivals.
Thursday 29 June 2023 16:17, UK
Negotiations for the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte are back on track after Joshua's team agreed to remove their late requested rematch clause.
A significant hurdle for the second fight has been overcome as talks continue for a summer showdown at The O2 on August 12.
The Brixton man had previously revealed how a late request for a one-way rematch clause in Joshua's favour had complicated talks for the fight after Whyte had agreed to their original terms.
Joshua already has been linked with a potential Deontay Wilder fight, eyed to take place in the Middle East later this year.
If he beat Joshua, Whyte would then look for a similar fight next himself. So this issue with a rematch clause could have been a major stumbling block.
Whyte has a long-running rivalry with Joshua. He beat AJ as an amateur, before Joshua went on to win an Olympic gold medal at London 2012.
As professionals, they boxed in a wild 2015 British heavyweight title, which Joshua won by seventh-round stoppage.
Joshua ultimately became a unified world champion. After suffering two back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, he came back with a win over Jermaine Franklin in April.
Whyte also rebuilt with a points victory against Franklin after his 2022 WBC title fight loss to Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium.
"I've been up for fighting Joshua since the day I lost to him in 2015," Whyte previously told Sky Sports.
"The score is 1-1 so far. He's won one. I beat him in the amateurs, he beat me in the pros so I want to get even."
"I would love nothing more than to have a chance to avenge my defeat," he added.
"I'll just go to war. I want to go to war because I think that's a good way to fight him, pressure him, back him up and start getting him on the back foot as early as possible and I'm strong enough, I'm big enough to do that.
"I carry enough power obviously to back him up and to knock him out."
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