Oleksandr Usyk and Eddie Hearn laugh together at The Ring V amid Anthony Joshua speculation

Oleksandr Usyk returned to Riyadh this week one year on from his rematch victory over Tyson Fury - and seemingly made a new friend at The Ring V: Night of the Samurai.

The unified heavyweight world champion was spotted at ringside alongside Matchroom Boxing supremo Eddie Hearn, with the two men spotted deep in conversation together.

At one point, the Ukrainian showed something on his phone to the promoter, with both men sharing a laugh as they took in Reito Tsutsumi's victory over Leobardo Quintana.

The sight of Usyk, the greatest glamour division fighter of his generation, and Hearn, the promoter of the former's onetime rival Anthony Joshua, will undoubtedly pique interest.

The latter joined up with his former foe ahead of his return to the ring earlier this month, and worked with his team ahead of his sixth-round knockout against Jake Paul in Miami.

Hearn meanwhile is currently seeking to move Joshua into a long-awaited bout with domestic rival Fury, who retired following his second loss to Usyk in December last year.

The pair's meeting comes amid a busy time for the heavyweight division, with Usyk having voluntarily ended his second undispited reign by vacating the WBO title in November.

Fabio Wardley, who defeated Joseph Parker weeks prior, has since been elevated to the full title, while Moses Itauma is expected to push for an opportunity in the near-future.

Usyk-Hearn union sets tongues wagging

DAZN News correspondent Andrew Steel

The leftovers from Christmas dinner have barely had time to cool, but there's no rest for some of boxing's biggest names amid the final week of a busy year.

With just the one fight to his name in 2025, Oleksandr Usyk has had a relatively quiet calendar on the whole, with just a win over Daniel Dubois to show.

That victory secured him a second reign as undisputed heavyweight champion though, and despite vacating his crown again, the Ukrainian wants it back.

A chat with Eddie Hearn will always catch the eye though - and with few heavyweights at Matchroom, it seems natural to assume one man figures prominently.

Anthony Joshua is destined for a make-or-break 2026, chasing a domestic super-bout with Tyson Fury - but what if there is an even bigger fish on the table?

The former's budding friendship with Usyk is a feelgood story for fans - but surely it would not prove to be a barrier to an outside bet for a historic trilogy bout.

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