Anthony Joshua to fight again Oleksandr Usyk in March

British Nigerian boxer, Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua has triggered his clause for a rematch against heavyweight rival Oleksandr Usyk and the fight is set to take place in March, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said.

Joshua lost his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts to Ukraine’s Usyk on a unanimous points decision at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.

Usyk who is a southpaw fighter, landed headshots throughout the contest with his shots causing Joshua’s right eye to swell after the 10th round.

“He (Joshua) has got his head back in the game,” Hearn told DAZN on Saturday. “He is training now and today we officially triggered the rematch for the Oleksandr Usyk fight, which we will see early next spring.

“We’re looking for him to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. I think realistically March is when you’re likely to see the rematch.”

A possible world heavyweight unification fight between Joshua and compatriot Tyson Fury, the WBC champion, was thrown into uncertainty after Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said he could not see it happening.

The two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, having held the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles from December 2019 to September 2021, and previously between 2016 and June 2019, lost to the undefeated Ukrainian Usyk after a scintillating display.