Anthony Joshua has touched down in Saudi Arabia ahead of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.

The Watford powerhouse will be ringside at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on May 18 as Fury and Usyk bid to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era

Joshua will be watching on with intrigue as the fight also holds massive implications for him.

Saudi boxing chief, His Excellency Turki Alalshik, recently confirmed to ESPN that he is eyeing up the long-awaited all-British showdown between Fury and Joshua for March next year.

Fury and Usyk have a two-way rematch clause signed into their contracts with the second fight pencilled in for October 12/13.

After which, Joshua is expected to enter the fray.

Whether their fight will be for the heavyweight titles or not rests on Fury emerging victorious from the four-belt shootout.

It seems unlikely Joshua will be given the opportunity to fight Usyk for a third time after convincingly losing both of their bouts back in September 2021 and August 2022.

So despite picking Usyk to win, Joshua will surely be secretly rooting for Fury.

While Joshua waits patiently for his outing against Fury next year he is choosing to remain active.

The former unified heavyweight champion, recently told talkSPORT that he will be back out on either September 20 or 21 at Wembley Stadium and has four names on the shortlist to be his next opponent.

Discussing his next opponent, he told talkSPORT’s Jon Jackson last month: “On June 1 in Saudi Arabia they’ve got the 5 vs 5 card.

“You’ve got Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois, and you’ve got Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder.

“So providing one of those looks good – the one who looks the best, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh said to me, ‘I want you to fight [him].’

“What he says is, ‘In the future I want people to look back at your record and say that you took on the best.’

“I said, ‘Now you’re speaking my language.’

“So out of that pool, I believe that’s who I’m gonna be fighting, one of those.

“We’re on the same page and he’s on the same page as the fans as well.

“He’s trying to deliver what the fans want, I know they want that big fight with Tyson Fury and he’s working on it.

“But Fury’s got his obligations with Oleksandr Usyk so I’ve gotta make sure I stay focused and disciplined, keep steamrolling through opponents so I can get closer and closer to having the opportunity of me vs Tyson Fury.”

The highly talked about rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been officially confirmed for later in 2024.

Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk will be a two-part showdown

With less than two weeks remaining until their initial clash, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is already paving the way for the heavyweight giants to go toe-to-toe once again.

The rematch, agreed upon as part of the contractual terms for their first encounter, is scheduled to kick off the latest edition of Riyadh Season.

The stage is set for a historic showdown, as the pair prepares to vie for the undisputed world heavyweight championship later this month on May 18th.

This monumental event marks the division’s first undisputed title fight in nearly 25 years, promising an electrifying spectacle for fight enthusiasts worldwide.

Date revealed for part 2 of Fury vs. Usyk

The road to this highly anticipated rematch hasn’t been without its hurdles.

A two-way rematch clause, already invoked three times due to unforeseen circumstances, underscores the gravity of this encounter.

Saudi kingpin Turki Alalshikh has earmarked October 12th and 13th as potential dates for the rematch, subject to both fighters emerging unscathed from their imminent battle in Riyadh.

However, there’s a twist in the tale regarding the heavyweight title landscape.

The winner of the initial bout will relinquish the IBF title to pave the way for mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic.

Despite this, the stakes remain sky-high as Fury and Usyk gear up for a clash of titans.

Fury, exuding confidence ahead of the showdown, emphasized the business-like nature of their rivalry, stating, “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business for both fighters.”

With the promise of a hefty paycheck and the opportunity to showcase his prowess on a global stage, Fury is poised to deliver a spectacle worthy of his moniker, ‘The Gypsy King.’

Before the Fury-Usyk sequel, Turki Alalshikh has his sights set on hosting a mega-event at London’s Wembley Stadium, further solidifying his position as a pivotal figure in the boxing landscape.

Reflecting on his approach to matchmaking, Alalshikh emphasizes collaboration among promoters, a strategy that has propelled him to the forefront of boxing’s resurgence.

As the countdown to Fury vs. Usyk intensifies, boxing fans await with bated breath, eager to witness history unfold in the heart of Riyadh.

Filip Hrgovic has made his prediction for who will be the long-awaited undisputed heavyweight champion when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face off on February 17.

Hrgovic was in action on the Day Of Reckoning card this past weekend against Mark De Mori, easily outclassing his opponent in a one-sided first round stoppage win.

The Croatian heavyweight has won 14 of his 17 fights by knockout and has distance wins over the likes of Zhilei Zhang and Kevin Johnson.

With the De Mori win, Hrgovic remains the IBF mandatory title challenger, with his eyes on the winner of the upcoming undisputed fight between Fury and Usyk next year.

Speaking to Boxing Social, he was asked who he thinks will win the first undisputed fight in some 24 years.

It was recently revealed that Usyk has put out a call for sparring partners and was overwhelmed with the response as he prepares for this career-defining fight.

Hrgovic was one of many big names that picked up wins on the card in Saudi Arabia recently, as Anthony Joshua defeated Otto Wallin, Joseph Parker upset Deontay Wilder, and Daniel Dubois stopped Jarrell Miller.

The Joshua win makes him number two with the IBF, meaning that if that particular title is stripped from the Fury-Usyk winner due to a rematch clause preventing a mandatory defence, Hrgovic may just face ‘AJ’ for the vacant belt.