There is already plenty of talk about what might happen should Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua come together in the ring for a third time.
The men have already met twice, once back in 2021 and once in 2022. The first fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was a close 12-round contest with no knockdowns and not too much drama.
Instead, it was a relatively technical contest that saw Usyk edge head and get the points decision.
Joshua made a change in his corner for the second fight by leaving long term coach Rob McCraken and linking up with top trainer Robert Garcia, though the rematch in Saudi Arabia went much the same way and again AJ lost on points again.
Since then ‘AJ’ split from Garcia and Usyk has gone on to defend his unified titles against Daniel Dubois then added the WBC belt to his collection to become undisputed heavyweight king by beating Tyson Fury back in May.
He must now rematch Fury in December, while Joshua looks to pick up the IBF belt vacated by the Ukrainian when he takes on Daniel Dubois in September.
Should both men win, they could well meet for a trilogy fight, something the Ukrainian recently agreed to.
“I don’t particularly want any rematches, but when we beat Tyson Fury for the second time and when Anthony Joshua beats Daniel Dubois, of course they will want to do a third fight.
From my point of view I have no right to deny Anthony a third fight because he gave me two incredible fights. Anthony helped me become even more famous in the world. Anthony did it. And if it happens with God’s help, then I am ready for a third fight with Anthony.”
Speaking earlier in the year, Garcia tipped Joshua to win the third time around.
“He is the second most-talented fighter in the [heavyweight] division. So much potential, so big, so strong, but he needed that confidence and I think that last fight showed him that he belongs up there. Even though he has lost to Usyk, he has got to think that he is the best. The way he fought, I wouldn’t be surprised if he beat Usyk in a third fight because he fought good.”
Garcia said that activity was one of the main things that helped Joshua.
“That was the one thing that Rudy Hernandez and myself told him, after the fight against Usyk in the locker room, I told everybody to keep him active, fight him [Joshua] again right away and they did. Three times [he fought] this year, that was the best thing that they could have done for him.”
Should Joshua beat Dubois, he will be a three-time world champion and on the cusp of a historic shot at all four belts that would cement his place in boxing history.
