An English Premier League football ground is the likely venue for Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk
Eddie Hearn has announced that Anthony Joshua is likely to fight WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25.
The popular EPL stadium, which replaced White Hart Lane as the club's home ground, has a seating capacity of almost 63,000. It became the third-largest football stadium in England when it was built two years ago.
It is a multi-purpose stadium with the ability to host a variety of sports. Joshua's fight against IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev was expected to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June 2020, however, the bout was postponed.
Joshua and Pulev fought each other in December instead, at the iconic Wembley Stadium. The Brit won the fight in convincing fashion, knocking out Pulev in the ninth round.
Anthony Joshua's fight against Usyk was announced by the WBO on May 22. The initial order required both parties to reach an agreement before May 31. Hearn later confirmed that the bout will indeed take place, but the venue has not been decided.
As of now, it appears the heavyweight duo will meet inside the boxing ring on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Anthony Joshua gears up for super-fight against Tyson Fury
Anthony Joshua was expected to fight WBC and The Ring heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on August 14 later this year. However, an arbitration ruling forced 'The Gypsy King' to withdraw from the clash and compete in a trilogy fight against arch-rival Deontay Wilder.
Following their failure to reach an agreement for the bout before May 21, the much-awaited fight was officially called off. The WBO later ruled that Joshua's next opponent would be Oleksandr Usyk.
Still, Anthony Joshua is confident about challenging Fury before the end of 2021, giving him roughly three months to prepare for the fight.
"End of the year. That fight has to happen. It will happen after I fight Usyk... This fight is gonna be bigger, better than what it would have been," Joshua told Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Fury and Wilder are expected to lock horns on July 24. The event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Fury's WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles on the line.