WBO Orders Anthony Joshua To Face Oleksandr Usyk

By: Sean Crose

How a lot issues can change in the midst of every week.

It was mere days in the past that WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury declared he can be going through the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in an August superfight in Saudi Arabia. Then phrase arrived that an arbitrator dominated Fury should combat rival Deontay Wilder a 3rd time by September fifteenth. Since that point, Wilder has signed to combat Fury in July. Then, on Saturday’s ESPN Jose Ramirez – Josh Taylor card, Fury actually interrupted the published staff to declare that he too had put pen to paper with the intention to make Fury-Wilder 3 a actuality. All of this, after all, would appear to depart Joshua with out a dance companion.

Solely it doesn’t. For the WBO has ordered that Joshua must defend his WBO title in opposition to former undisputed cruiserweight titlist turned heavyweight contender Oleksandr Usyk. Now each staff Joshua and staff Usyk have ten days to make a deal or else the combat will go to a handbag bid, which implies whoever bids essentially the most to advertise the battle may have the proper to. Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing requested the WBO for an extension that may finish early subsequent week earlier than issues went into movement, however that request was denied.

Though Joshua-Usyk definitely wouldn’t convey within the consideration {that a} Joshua-Fury combat would, there’s little doubt {that a} battle between the 2 males would characteristic two high degree fighters arguably working of their primes. Though Joshua would probably be the favourite, Usyk is thought to be one of the expert fighters within the enterprise. Ought to the Ukrainian show that his capacity carries successfully into the higher realms of the heavyweight division, an upset win definitely wouldn’t be out of the query.

The 24-1 Joshua final fought in December when he handily bested necessary challenger and veteran combatant Kubrat Pulev. It had been virtually a yr since his earlier combat, when he gained again his titles from Andy Ruiz, who had shocked him in New York roughly six months earlier. As for Usyk, the undefeated 18-0 former undisputed titlist was final within the ring on Halloween, when he bested Dereck Chisora through unanimous choice at Wembley Stadium. Though Joshua will symbolize solely the third opponent Usyk has confronted within the heavyweight division, the person’s earlier report has elevated his standing as a contender.