WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk left Ukraine and will prepare for a rematch with Anthony Joshua.

The 35-year-old athlete, who entered the territorial defense in the first days of the Russian invasion, announced this on his Instagram page..

" I've made the decision to start training for a rematch with Anthony Joshua. Thus, I will help my country more and better than I will stand in the terrorist defense and run around Kiev with a machine gun.

Dear friends, a very large number of my relatives called me and supported me in this. Spiteful critics, good to you and happiness, joy and peace. Everything will be thank God, and everything will be Ukraine. Good luck to everyone," Recall that on the night of September 26, Usyk defeated Joshua in London by unanimous decision - 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113, and won the IBF, WBO, WBA and IBO heavyweight titles. After that, the Briton activated the option of revenge, prescribed in the contract for the first fight..

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn previously said that a rematch could take place this June..

The 35-year-old Usyk has 19 wins (13 by knockout) in 19 fights. He held three of them in the heavyweight division.. Before that, Alexander became the absolute world champion in the cruiserweight (weight category up to 90.7 kg), having won all four of the most prestigious belts there..

Joshua, 32, has 24 wins (22 by KO) and two losses.. For the first time, AJ lost in June 2019 to Andy Ruiz, but in December of the same year he defeated the Mexican in a rematch and regained his titles.