Boxing: Joshua defending heavyweight belts against Usyk in September

London: Anthony Joshua will defend his heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk on September 25 in London, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, announced.

Joshua, holder of the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles, was to have an all-British showdown with Tyson Fury this summer but a legal ruling in the United States wrecked a proposed unification fight in Saudi Arabia on August 14.

An arbitration hearing upheld a claim from fellow heavyweight Deontay Wilder that he was contractually owed a third fight with WBC champion Fury. They will meet again on July 24 in Las Vegas.

World champion

Usyk is a former cruiserweight world champion from Ukraine who stepped up to heavyweight in 2019. He has an 18-0 (13 KO) record. He hasn’t fought since October.

Joshua is 24-1 (22 KO) after knocking out Kubrat Pulev last December.