Anthony Joshua will go up against Oleksandr Usyk on 20th August 2022 and Jeddah has been the chosen venue for the fight that will be broadcast all over the world.
While the venue has not been officially confirmed, Sky Sports has reported that the Jeddah Super Dome may be the preferred venue to host the event. The match will be the ultimate fight between the two infamous contenders for the world heavyweight title.
It was last year in September that Ukraine’s Usyk had beaten Joshua and obtained the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts, but, the British boxer will now get the chance to win back his titles in a fight dubbed ‘Rage on the Red Sea’.
This sporting event is the latest international one to be hosted in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom is fast becoming one of the most prominent destinations for world sports.
Skill Challenge Entertainment (SCEE), supported by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sport, has secured the global rights to the event and the event is set to be one of the most memorable in the history of boxing.
Chairman of SCEE Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz, said in a statement about the forthcoming boxing match in August, “This is another proud moment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia bringing the biggest rematch in global boxing to our great country. Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua are both brilliant champions with different stories, skills and styles and the whole world will watch them go head-to-head in the ring on August 20th – we look forward to welcoming them.”
This fight wouldn’t be Anthony Joshua’s first gig in the Kingdom. The Olympic gold medalist will be returning to Saudi Arabia after he had beaten Andy Ruiz Junior at ‘Clash on the Dunes’ which was part of Diriyah Season 2019, and regained his heavyweight world titles.
Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn also added, “We are thrilled to get one of the biggest heavyweight rematches in boxing history made and give Anthony Joshua the chance to reclaim what he lost in London last September. Everything is on the line for this Unified World Heavyweight Championship bout and it could not be a bigger contest. We know Oleksandr Usyk is a great fighter and we saw that last time out, but I know Anthony Joshua is more determined than ever.”
