ANTHONY JOSHUA’s high-stakes rematch with Oleksandr Usyk will be finalised within the next fortnight.
The Watford warrior’s second showdown with the slick southpaw was in major doubt after the proud Ukrainian took up arms in his country’s ongoing war with Russia.
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to trade blows again in July
And promoter Eddie Hearn has believes the pair’s rematch will be finalised within the next two weeks
But the 34-year-old was recently given permission to leave his homeland to prepare for the rematch, which promoter Eddie Hearn expects to take place by mid-July at the latest.
He told Boxing Scene: “We are in final negotiations with a couple of sites for either the end of June or early-mid July.
“I reckon within two weeks we will have news on where it will be.
“There is still a UK option but we don’t really need proper negotiations for the UK, we can just book it.”
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The oil-rich Saudis are currently the favourites to land the second instalment of Usyk vs Joshua.
June 25 was the initial working date for the desert dust-up, although SunSport understands that’s changed to July 23.
Usyk effortlessly turned over Joshua in their Tottenham tussle last September to claim the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles.
But he’s struggling to stay focused on his maiden defence of the unified belts when his country is being ravaged by war.
He told BlockAsset: “I want to concentrate as much as possible on my preparation [for the rematch].
“Because at the moment I cannot stop thinking about the war, about my friends in Ukraine.
Oleksandr Usyk turned over Anthony Joshua in their Tottenham tussle last September
“And I have to get rid of such thoughts as much as possible in order to be prepared well for the Anthony Joshua fight and be able to glorify again My God, Jesus Christ and my native land.”
He added: “Boxing is a sport, boxing is a skill. While war is survival.
“Luckily, I didn’t see much of the war, but what I saw and what I know from my relatives and my friends is terrible.
“Some of my friends are missing and we don’t know where they are now.
“Many of my relatives have lost their homes and lost their friends and loved ones.
“Frankly speaking, all that is going on now is quite horrible – in Ukraine.
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“Every day I pray for the soonest possible end of this horror. In comparison with war, boxing is child’s play.
“War is a terrible thing which I would not wish on my worst enemy.”
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