ANTHONY JOSHUA and Dillian Whyte have made a breakthrough in talks to rematch – leaving the fight now back ON.
Eddie Hearn had sent Whyte an offer to face long-time rival AJ on August 12 at the O2 Arena.
It comes as he also negotiates a super-fight in Saudi Arabia against Deontay Wilder in December.
Whyte’s deal included an option for an immediate rematch if Joshua was beaten.
So it left him fuming and unwilling to be tied down to another bout, believing the winner should rightfully go on to fight Wilder.
And now according to Sky Sports, Joshua’s team have agreed to take out the rematch clause, paving the way for the Battle of Britain.
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The history between the two dates back to 2009 when they first shared the ring in an amateur contest.
Whyte won the bout and it carried the feud into the professional ranks, setting up a grudge match in 2015.
It was there Joshua got his revenge with a seventh-round stoppage and five months later he became world champion for the first time.
Whyte, 35, would have to wait until last April to challenge for heavyweight gold but he was beaten by Tyson Fury, 34.
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He returned last November against Jermaine Franklin, where the winner was promised Joshua, 33, next.
Whyte edged out a tight majority decision but still it was Franklin, 29, who welcomed AJ back to the ring.
Coming off consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, Joshua got back to winning ways on points against the American in April.
It was his first under new coaching Derrick James and promoter Hearn wanted the pair to have one more before facing Wilder, 37.
Joshua is back in Dallas training with James while Whyte is also in camp Stateside as talks for the rematch progress.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
