Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that Anthony Joshua will have a rematch clause in place ahead of his fight against Oleksander Usyk.
Though the bout has not been officially announced, but Hearn – who is still in dialogue with Usyk’s team, revealed that ‘all the terms are agreed’, with just a few small details to be thrashed out.
Joshua was ordered to fight Ukrainian Usyk after an arbitration ruled Deontay Wilder is entitled to a third fight with Tyson Fury, and AJ could see his hopes of an epic match-up go up in smoke should he fall to Usyk.
Joshua will need to see off the threat of Usyk, who he is likely to face in September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while hoping Fury comes through against Wilder.
And Hearn played down the significance of having a rematch clause, saying it would benefit Usyk hugely should he win the first fight because he would then be paid a lucrative pay packet for the second fight.
“There will be,” Hearn to BetFred while insisting the term was not holding up negotiations.
“All the terms are agreed and that was a prior term. When you talk about a rematch clause, it’s also the biggest fight that fighter could have.
“Sometimes people think, “that’s a bad thing”. It’s actually sometimes a good thing.
“Andy Ruiz ended up getting quite a lot of money for his rematch, but it’s a massive opportunity.
“If Oleksandr Usyk wins, he then makes an absolute fortune to fight AJ again.”
