Rematch, anyone?
With each passing day, it seems increasingly likely that we’re going to get to see Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko run it back in a repeat of the 11-round war which took place in Wembley Stadium last month.
With Tyson Fury still out of action, the Klistchko bout is certainly the most lucrative one currently on the table for ‘AJ’ and his team have made no secret of their willingness to go again with the Ukrainian.
Having insisted after the initial clash that he had a rematch clause in his contract, it’s on Klitschko now to give the green light.
And, thankfully, it would appear that we’re going to get one last fight, at the very least, out of the 41-year-old.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested that wheels are in motion to get Joshua vs. Klitschko II booked this Autumn but, given the less favourable weather conditions expected at that time of year in the United Kingdom, an outdoor stadium would simply be unfeasible to host the event.
Instead, Hearn is looking very closely at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, which has the benefit of a retractable roof, to host what would be the biggest heavyweight rematch in decades.
One potential issue with that stadium is that the Welsh national rugby team have a series of international games scheduled across November and December, when Joshua was originally hoping to return, so the showdown may need to take place slightly sooner than first expected.
“I believe Klitschko will go ahead with the rematch so we are looking at dates,” Hearn said, with quotes appearing in the Independent.
“The Principality Stadium is not really available in November because of rugby so 28 October is the option. Most of December is available but I don’t really want to go that late.
“Josh has a bit of a sore shoulder, Klitschko has had a tough fight, his face was bashed up. You have got two more weeks in May, all of June and after that they will be thinking ‘right let’s get back in camp’.
“Even if you started back in camp in August, then you have September and October so end of October can work.”
28 October in Wales? No complaints from us.
