Self-proclaimed "comeback king” Anthony Joshua has promised to rebound from his “blip” defeat to Oleksandr Usyk and become a three-time world heavyweight champion when the pair meet again in Saudi Arabia this summer.
The much-anticipated rematch, billed "Rage on the Red Sea", was confirmed on Sunday for Jeddah on August 20, where Joshua will seek to avenge the loss of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts to Usyk via unanimous decision in England last September.
Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, took a dominant display at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 117-112, 116-112, 115-13.
Speaking at the launch press conference in Jeddah on Tuesday, where he sat along from Usyk, Joshua said: “Definitely the hunger is still there. Blips happen, things happen in life. But resilience, mental toughness and consistency will always prevail.
“We’re still on the road to undisputed for sure. God willing, I’ll perform and I’ll become three-time heavyweight champion of the world.”
Joshua, 32, was largely outclassed in the initial contest, with the nature of the defeat prompting the Briton to part company with long-time head trainer Robert McCracken. McCracken has been replaced with the highly respected Robert Garcia.
Joshua, though, is no stranger to adversity having endured a troublesome time in his late teens - he even spent a brief spell in prison - before becoming Olympic champion in 2012.
He has experience also of reigniting his boxing career in Saudi: in December 2019, Joshua defeated Andy Ruiz Jr in their rematch to regain his heavyweight titles. The first defeat, in New York six months previously, is one of only two losses in his 24-fight professional career.
“With Andy Ruiz, a lot of people could see before the [original] fight that things weren’t 100 per cent [with me],” Joshua said. “But we take our loss like a man; if you lose, you have to stay humble. I knew I could come back again and do what I have to do.
“The fight with Usyk, he bust my [expletive] for some rounds. And I have to take that defeat like a man as well, I have to be accountable.
“In the fight in September, I was wrong and he was right. Simply, I have to reverse that role in August. I don’t like to overcomplicate the situation, because there’s simplicity in genius. I’m just going to keep things simple.”
Still, Usyk is considered heavy favourite heading into the second clash, which is expected to be staged at the indoor Jeddah Super Dome.
“I respect him and his craft, and what he’s achieved,” Joshua. “If I’m around someone that’s better than me on the night, I have to push myself to be better than them. That’s all it’s done really, and thankfully I’ve got a second chance.
“When I was a youngster, I got in trouble a little bit, and I was blessed with a second chance. If you know my story, you know I’m the comeback king. You can put me down, but it’s difficult to keep me down. For me, becoming a champion is the long-term goal."
Meanwhile, Usyk returns to the ring having in March left his home in war-torn Ukraine, where he had joined the country’s defence against Russia.
On Tuesday, the Ukrainian thanked event organisers for putting together the second fight with Joshua, before switching to his native language to say: “It’s a big honour for me to be here. As we all know, we are not in the best conditions at the moment back at home.
“But we are doing what we have to do; together with my team, we are working very hard to achieve our goals.
“I never made some very loud and bright speeches. All I did was just work hard in my training camp, my gym - that’s what I’m going do until the date of the fight. Then I will enter the ring and I will make you happy with my boxing."
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
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Engine: Duel electric motors
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Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
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Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
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6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
