Anthony Joshua reopening the door to a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk would have sounded absurd a few years ago. Now it feels possible, even after two losses and a friendship that has grown between the pair outside the ring.
The shift was made clear this week when promoter Eddie Hearn admitted that Joshua would still “love” another shot at Usyk despite losing twice to the Ukrainian southpaw in 2021 and 2022. Historically, heavyweight rivalries rarely continue after one fighter has won two fights cleanly. Boxing tends to move forward. This situation seems to be going in the opposite direction.
Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) has spent the last few years rebuilding his career and public image following back-to-back losses to Usyk. Meanwhile, the relationship between the two instruments changed completely. They've trained together, they seem comfortable around each other, and they've avoided the grudges that often follow heavyweight rivals.
That's part of what makes Hearn's comments unusual.
“I don't think so,” Hearn said this week when asked if Joshua and Usyk's friendship could stop another fight. “But boxing is a funny old sport. Part of AJ always wants to fight Usyk because he's lost twice. Same with Fury. They compete with him. They want to try to fight him again.”
The heavyweight division has started operating under a different set of rules during Saudi Arabia. Familiarity and commercial value now weigh almost as much as the unfinished business of competition. Tyson Fury also went public with the third fight with Usyk despite losing twice.
In past seasons, a fighter who loses two straight title fights to an opponent usually calls it quits. Joshua-Usyk III will reverse that logic completely. Instead of intense conflict driving the need, it can be inheritance and personal redemption.
Joshua still has work to do before that conversation gets serious. He will return in July to face Kristian Prenga before the expected match with Fury later this year. Hearn made it clear that the current focus remains on those two fights.
“His destiny is to win the world heavyweight title again,” said Hearn. “He wants to beat Tyson Fury, and he wants to win the world heavyweight title again.”
The concept stops there, however. Not so long ago, the image of Joshua running next to Usyk in the ocean seemed impossible. Now it's possible that the two fighters who became training partners after a one-sided feud could end up sharing the ring for a third time anyway.
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Last updated on 2026/05/17 at 5:44 PM
