Joshua to defend heavyweight titles against Usyk Sept 25

Anthony Joshua, Nigerian-British boxer and world heavyweight champion, will defend his titles against Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham’s London Stadium on September 25.

Matchroom Boxing, Joshua’s promoters, announced the upcoming fight on its website.

The 31-year-old is set to put his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles on the line against Usyk, the WBO mandatory challenger.

Following the fallout of the ill-fated unification proposed fight with Tyson Fury, another British heavyweight champion, Joshua accepted to fight the Ukrainian professional boxer.

The bout will also be the first to take place at Tottenham’s recently built stadium.

“Unified Heavyweight Champion of the World Anthony Joshua OBE will put his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles on the line against Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday September 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK,” the statement read.

In his reaction, Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist in the super heavyweight division at London 2012, expressed his readiness to “handle business” against Usyk, another Olympics gold medal winner.

“The date is set and we are fully locked in, September 25, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I put it all on the line again and it’s time to defend my crown. We are two Olympic Gold medalists who have fought our way to the top and never avoided challenges,” he said.

“The venue is exceptional, the atmosphere will be electric, I’m honoured to be the first person to fight in such an awe inspiring venue. The stage is set and I am ready to handle business.”

On his part, Usyk went philosophical with his response to the Watford-born boxer of Nigerian heritage, saying “the path will be mastered by the walking one.”

The 34-year-old Usyk is a pound-for-pound boxer and undisputed cruiserweight champion. He is undefeated in 18 fights (13 KOs). He scored a unanimous decision victory over Derek Chisora in May last year on his first heavyweight fight to earn a date with Joshua.

Joshua reclaimed his heavyweight titles from Andy Ruiz Jr. in a rematch in December 2019 and successfully defended the belts against Kubrat Pulev in his last fight in December last year, delivering a ninth-round knockout victory at Wembley stadium to improve his record to 22 KO from 24 wins.