WBC mandates Joshua to fight Fury vs Usyk winner
According to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, Anthony Joshua will challenge the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury bout.
Fury and Usyk will compete for all the belts on May 18 in Saudi Arabia and later in the year for a rematch.
While the negotiations for the fight have been ongoing, Joshua (28-3, 25KOs) has been patiently waiting for his chance. The British-Nigerian had defeated former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou via second-round knockout and the prize for winning had been mentioned as facing one of the top two in the division.
According to Sulaiman, nothing will prevent Joshua from fighting Usyk or Fury.
“The WBC was presented a sanction request which was to fight for the undisputed. The WBC accepted that sanctioning and we accepted the rematch they have requested,” Sulaiman said as quoted by Sports Illustrated.
“But, if it is not anything to do with contractual or promotion, we would absolutely accept the winner to fight Joshua. The WBC has been very much attentive to this matter. So, we have completely freed the ground for the undisputed, for a rematch, and for another fight of that level. The WBC position right now is very open to support the undisputed champion taking on the fights that the fans want to see.”
Following Ngannou’s spectacular boxing debut against Fury, Joshua decisively floorey the MMA star thrice to make yet another statement on getting back to the top of the heavyweight division.
The former unified heavyweight champion, who lost his titles to Usyk, is still working to regain them back. This was his third consecutive stoppage victory.
“It was unbelievable. He looked like a champion of the world – tremendous, powerful, precise and he made a statement. I am very proud and happy for him,” Sulaiman said.
“That is how the world is, they judge you by your last performance and now he is a power force and everybody is claiming he is the best heavyweight in the world, last year they were saying he was washed up. Now, everyone is saying Fury is all washed up but we will see on May 18,” he added.
Meanwhile, Joshua says he will not sit and wait for the result of Fury vs Usyk with his eyes already set on a summer return.
