- Title: Usyk eyes heavyweight unification fight after Joshua rematch
- Date: 28th September 2021
- Summary: KYIV, UKRAINE (SEPTEMBER 28, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** NEWLY CROWNED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, OLEKSANDR USYK, ENTERING MEDIA EVENT AND NEWS CONFERENCE TO MUSIC MEDIA AT EVENT
- Embargoed: 12th October 2021 15:41
- Keywords: Anthony Joshua Oleksandr Usyk boxing world heavyweight champion
- Location: KYIV, UKRAINE / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: KYIV, UKRAINE / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Boxing,Europe,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWMWOXR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Newly crowned world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk expects a rematch against Anthony Joshua in February or March and wants to unify the division after that, his team said on Tuesday (September 28).
The Ukrainian defeated Joshua in a boxing masterclass at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday (September 25) in front of 67,000 fans, earning a unanimous points decision to take his British rival's WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury meanwhile faces Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas next month in the third instalment of a trilogy of matches.
"We can talk about the unification of all the belts only after Tyson Fury will have a boxing match against Deontay Wilder, and they determine the champion, and after our re-match with Anthony (Joshua)," Usyk said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.
"Of course, I would like very much to have this unification match."
A former undisputed cruiserweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist, the 34-year-old Usyk came home to a hero's welcome after defeating Joshua.
He follows in the footsteps of compatriots Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko who dominated the division for a decade from 2004-15.
Speaking alongside Usyk, his promoter Alexander Krassyuk said a rematch between Usyk and Joshua would likely take place in February or March.
"As for the rematch: the rematch was written in our contract and it is now activated on Joshua's side," he said.
"And I remember when we were talking to Oleksandr about the rematch, he wasn't upset. On the contrary, he was happy."
Following the press conference, Usyk met Vitali Klitschko, who handed him a WBO belt.
Usyk's other belts will arrive in Ukraine in a couple of weeks.
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