Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua in prime shape for rematch with Oleksandr Usyk

Promoter Eddie Hearn predicts a “brilliant heavyweight fight” when Anthony Joshua meets defending champion Oleksandr Usyk in the highly anticipated title rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, August 20.

Joshua will get an opportunity to regain the WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO belts he lost to Usyk when the pair clash again in a fight that has been billed “Rage on the Red Sea”.

Joshua arrived in the kingdom four weeks ahead of his fight to continue his preparation to become a three-time unified heavyweight champion.

Hearn believes Joshua’s decision to arrive early in Saudi Arabia is a “sign of confidence” for his attempt to bounce back from his defeat to Usyk in London 11 months ago.

“It’s a huge fight to the boxing world and to the kingdom. There’s going to be a lot of great people there, a lot of great fighters and a huge media presence. The whole world will be watching at Jeddah,” Hearn told The National on Saturday.

“For us, all we want to see is an Anthony Joshua victory but it’s going to be a tough fight. He’s prepared fantastically well, and I think we are going to see a brilliant heavyweight fight.”

Usyk’s victory over Joshua gave him the heavyweight belts and stretched his unbeaten professional career record to 19.

Hearn felt history will be on Joshua’s side, recalling his rematch with Andy Ruiz to regain the world titles in Riyadh on December 2019 six months after the two-time champion surprisingly went down to the Mexican-American at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“This is a bigger fight than Joshua-Ruiz because Usyk is a pound-for-pound king,” Hearn said.

“He’s probably pound-for-pound No 1. It’s similar that AJ must win because he’s coming after a defeat. He will have very fond memories of that Ruiz