Joshua vs Oleksandr’s deal will be signed this week for Sept in London
Eddie Hearn has revealed Anthony Joshua could officially sign to fight Oleksandr Usyk this week – with a date set for September in London.
AJ was forced to turn to his mandatory challenger after an undisputed title decider with Tyson Fury collapsed last month.
The WBO ordered him to face former cruiserweight champion Usyk, with Hearn leading the talks.
And he told DAZN that contracts could be penned in the next few days for the pair to fight in the capital in September after holding talks with Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk.
Hearn said: “I can tell you that this week, that this is a more confident footing than the Joshua – Fury negotiations because I know Alex Krassyuk very well, and I know Usyk very well.
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“This week that fight will be signed. We’re looking at September in London. Just finalising the details.
“It’s a great fight, a dangerous fight, it’s not the one we necessarily wanted or expected. But it’s a high level heavyweight fight.
“It’s a unified heavyweight champion against the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and on we go with that fight – it’s a big event.”
Joshua, 31, and Fury, 32, had agreed terms for a unification on August 14 in Saudi Arabia.
It came after the Gypsy King walked away from a trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder, believing the immediate rematch clause expired.
Wilder, 35, took his case to arbitration and after months of mediation the judge ruled in his favour.
To avoid another legal battle or paying step aside money, Fury then agreed to a trilogy bout, with the pair signed to fight on July 24 in America.
It left Joshua out in the cold and forced to line up southpaw Usyk, 34, who became his mandatory after stepping up to heavyweight.
AJ last fought in December, knocking out Kubrat Pulev, 40, in nine rounds, and believed he was then set for a Battle of Britain against Fury.
Usyk is yet to return since beating Derek Chisora, 37, over 12 rounds in October, only his second fight at heavyweight.
The Ukrainian had wanted more money from Hearn to face Joshua, a demand which may now have been met following the promoter’s latest update.