Oleksandr Usyk fight clause could further delay Joshua vs Fury showdown

Anthony Joshua’s contract to face former cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk will have a rematch clause in it, according to promoter and chairman of Matchroom Sport Eddie Hearn.

While the deal for the bout has not yet been announced, Hearn told BetFred that all the terms have been agreed and that the bout will be confirmed in the not-so-distant future, currently set to take place in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on either September 18 or September 25.

“All the terms are agreed and [the rematch clause] was a prior term.

“When you talk about a rematch clause, it's also the biggest fight that fighter could have. Sometimes people think, "that's a bad thing". It's actually sometimes a good thing.

“Andy Ruiz ended up getting quite a lot of money for his rematch, but it's a massive opportunity.

“If Oleksandr Usyk wins, he then makes an absolute fortune to fight AJ again.”

Hearn also revealed in the interview that Joshua has already started preparation for the bout, sparring southpaws in Sheffield to mimic his Ukrainian opponent.

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“I think there are no issues with the fight and it is the one you will see next.”

“AJ knows how good Usyk is but AJ wants to do a job on him. He also knows people are unsure about him winning the fight, and I think he likes that.

“He has done four weeks of southpaw sparring up in Sheffield and he is gearing himself up for a big fight.”

Usyk will arguably be Joshua’s toughest test to date. The Ukranian is a genuine pound-for-pound talent, with a stellar record that boasts wins over the likes of Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora and Murat Gassiev.

Joshua will certainly still be the favourite going into the bout, following his solid last outing against Kubrat Pulev as well as his significant size and power advantage.

However, it goes without saying that Usyk is far from a mere stepping-stone towards an all-British unification bout with Tyson Fury. AJ would do well to remember that.

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