Heavyweight rivals Joshua, Whyte set for rematch Aug. 12
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Former two-time unified heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua and rival and British countryman Dillian Whyte will square off in a rematch on Aug.12 at The O2 in London, the same venue where they have both boxed many times, including eight years ago when Joshua knocked him out when they met as top prospects.
The fight, announced on Thursday by Matchroom Boxing, was finalized a week after former world title challenger Whyte declared the fight dead over contract terms.
Whyte publicly complained that Matchroom Boxing inserted a rematch clause in Joshua’s favor into the contract and because of it he would not take the bout. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn later said it had been removed and Whyte then accepted.
The card will air on DAZN in the United States and other countries around the world as part of the regular subscription but it will be on DAZN PPV (£26.99) in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
While the co-feature was not announced, multiple sources with knowledge of the bout told Fight Freaks Unite that IBF heavyweight mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs), 31, of Croatia, will risk his position against Demsey McKean (22-0, 14 KOs), 32, an Australian southpaw based in England.
“I’ve been clear that my plan is to be active this year,” Joshua said. “August 12 is the date. I’ll be ready to fight. I look forward to dealing with business.”
Joshua will be in his second fight since pairing with trainer Derrick James, with whom he has been training in the Dallas area.
After Joshua lost the unified title by decision to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, and then lost to him again in an August 2022 rematch, he hired James. Joshua had his first fight under James on April 1 and outpointed Jermaine Franklin, also at The O2.
After the fight Joshua said he planned to fight again in August and then days later said he would not be back until December. It has been well-publicized that there are ongoing talks for a much bigger fight with former titleholder Deontay Wilder in December in Saudi Arabia.
But Joshua has been inactive with just one fight in each of 2020, 2021 and 2022 and he and his team believe he will be better off fighting more often as he gets used to working with James — even if he is risking the potential Wilder fight.
Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs), 33, stopped Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs), 36, in the seventh round of a highly entertaining but one-sided fight in 2015 in the bout before Joshua won his first world title. Whyte owns a 2009 amateur win over Joshua, who went on to win the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medal in London.
While Joshua rocketed to stardom after beating Whyte and winning a title, Whyte too eventually became a top contender with a series of notable victories.
When Whyte finally got a mandatory title shot against Tyson Fury in April 2022, they packed Wembley Stadium in London and Fury knocked him out in the sixth round.
Whyte rebounded with a disputed majority decision over Franklin in November and now has a chance to avenge his first pro defeat.
“I’m looking forward to returning to the London O2 on August 12 and going to war. It’s 1-1 so this is the decider,” Whyte said, including the amateur fight.
Hearn was pleased to get the rematch done after so much back and forth and uncertainty over whether Joshua would fight this summer.
“I can’t quite believe this fight is happening and there was absolutely no stopping either man,” Hearn said. “The rivalry runs deep and there is something about these two where they will never back down from each other. At times it may have looked like a game of bluff but now we are set and with everything that’s on the line this is an absolute must win for both. Just like the first time at The O2, get ready for fireworks August 12.”
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I’ve got Dillian Whyte winning this one. Who do you have, Dan?
Surprised that this in the O2 and isn't a stadium fight.