Oleksandr Usyk will reportedly leave Ukraine to prepare for Anthony Joshua rematch

All signs point towards a heavyweight world title rematch between unified titleholder Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua. ESPN’s Mike Coppinger cites sources who indicate that the champion will cross the Ukrainian border into Poland in order to begin training camp for the fight expected to be held in the summer.

Earlier this month it was reported that Usyk had willfully entered Ukraine in order to join an armed defense battalion with an ongoing Russian invasion, which Vasiliy Lomachenko also did, with the only difference being Lomachenko decided to remain in Ukraine to continue fighting while Usyk will apparently leave — and I sincerely don’t write that implying judgement on either decision.

As it turns out, Usyk also doesn’t even need special permission to leave the Ukraine despite a law requiring able bodied men between between 18-60 to remain. There’s already an exception for men who are parents to three or more children under the age of 18, which Usyk is, allowing him to leave freely.

With this recent news it looks like Anthony Joshua won’t have to seek out an alternative plan after all, and will indeed get another opportunity to reclaim his world titles if he can manage it inside the ring.