IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has no problem with facing Oleksandr Usyk next.
Joshua is scheduled to return on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
He faces once-beaten Andy Ruiz, who replaces Jarrell Miller. The unbeaten Miller was removed from the fight after failing three pre-fight drug tests.
Usyk, who like Joshua is an Olympic gold medal winner, unified the entire cruiserweight division last year when he brought together the WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF world titles.
He officially moves up to the heavyweight division on May 25, when he takes on Carlos Takam on May 25.
Should he win, there is a possibility that the WBO will make Usyk the mandatory challenger to Joshua.
Both Joshua and Usyk are promoted by Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, so a deal won't be that difficult to make. And both of the fighters are aligned with the streaming service DAZN.
If Joshua is unable to secure a fight with Tyson Fury or WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder - he is more than willing to fight Usyk.
“100 percent, I’d be down for that. I never thought of vacating a belt. That’s all political stuff. I wouldn’t vacate, and I’d definitely fight Usyk. Good luck to him. He’d a good addition to the heavyweight crop for sure. Very talented," Joshua told IFL TV.
“That’s a good name. For instance, if he was in the heavyweight division, and he wasn’t making his debut, if it wasn’t [Luis] Ortiz, he would have been in conversation with Usyk. DAZN wants good fights on their platform as well. Broadcasters need solid fights as well. They want someone like Usyk.
“They would push for the Usyk fight. They would rustle up all the finances they can to get that type of fight. The broadcasters want the lucrative fights.”
