Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk will share the ring again this month, as the heavyweights go head to head with the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles on the line in Saudi Arabia.
The pair’s rematch comes 11 months after their initial clash, which saw Usyk comprehensively outpoint Joshua in the Briton’s own backyard, taking the belts from “AJ” at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Now Joshua, 32, will seek to regain the titles for the second time in his career as he faces the unbeaten Ukrainian in Jeddah. In 2019, Joshua lost the belts to Andy Ruiz Jr at New York City’s Madison Square Garden with a stoppage defeat, before avenging that result with a decision win against the Mexican-American in Saudi Arabia at the end of that year.
Can Joshua replicate that feat by handing Usyk, 35, the first loss of the southpaw’s professional career?
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the seismic rematch.
When is it?
Usyk vs Joshua 2 will take place at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on Saturday 20 August.
Ring walks for the main-event contest are expected to take place at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET).
How can I watch it?
Sky Sports Box Office will be the only place to watch the fight in the UK and Ireland.
The pay-per-view event will cost £26.95 in the UK and €31.95 in Ireland.
Odds
Usyk – 4/9
Draw – 16/1
Joshua – 13/8
Who will Joshua fight next?
Most fans hope the winner of this weekend’s rematch will take on WBC title holder Tyson Fury to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion. However, there is no deal in place for such a fight as things stand.
Briton Fury last fought in April, knocking out compatriot Dillian Whyte to remain unbeaten and retain the WBC belt, and he has since claimed to be retired. The “Gypsy King” has, however, gone back and forth on the matter, and there is a belief from his promoters that Fury will not be able to resist the prospect of a clash with the victor of Joshua vs Usyk 2.
There is always the possibility, though, that Fury commits to retirement and relinquishes his title, or that a mandatory challenger for one of the belts is given priority.
Daniel Dubois is the WBA champion’s mandatory challenger and could be the likeliest opponent for the Joshua-Usyk 2 winner, if an undisputed-title fight with Fury cannot be made.
Full card
Oleksandr Usyk (C) vs Anthony Joshua (heavyweight)
Filip Hrgovic vs Zhilei Zhang (heavyweight)
Callum Smith vs Mathieu Bauderlique (light-heavyweight)
Ben Whittaker vs Petar Nosic (light-heavyweight)
Ramla Ali vs Crystal Garcia Nova (women’s super-bantamweight)
Badou Jack vs Richard Rivera (cruiserweight)
Andrew Tabiti vs James Wilson (heavyweight)
Daniel Lapin vs Jozef Jurko (light-heavyweight)
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Jose Alatorre (super-lightweight)
Rashed “Money Kicks” Belhasa vs Traycho Georgiev (welterweight)
