The World Wrestling Organisation, WBO, has issued Anthony Joshua a 48 hours ultimatum to prove his bout with Tyson Fury can take place before he is mandated to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
The decision would serve as a hindrance to the planned undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Joshua and Fury billed for August 14 in Saudi Arabia, SkySports reports.
A court ruling on Monday that said Fury must fight Deontay Wilder again on September 15, implied that Joshua may fight Usyk next.
Promoter, Eddie Hearn had labelled Usyk as Joshua’s “Plan B” because he is the WBO mandatory challenger.
Earlier, the governing body had agreed to keep Usyk’s right pending due to the magnitude of the Joshua vs Fury title bout but Joshua has two days to prove the fight can go ahead unless he will be mandated to fight the yet to be defeated Usyk.
Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk told Sky sports, “The WBO is extremely happy as their mandatory challenger will be facing their heavyweight champion.
“What else can they desire? We are waiting for their approval letter!”
WBO president Paco Valcarcel had on Tuesday night said, “I hope boxing fans will enjoy Joshua vs Usyk in the near future.”
The targeted date for Joshua vs Usyk is in August at “most likely a big open-air venue in the UK”, says Krassyuk.
Usyk had previously been in negotiations to fight Joe Joyce for the WBO interim title while he awaited the winner of Joshua vs Fury.
“Usyk said that he was crossing the English Channel by the time he received my message, and asked which turn he should be making,” joked Krassyuk.
Krassyuk had previously reacted to the court ruling Fury to face Wilder: “There is no other reasonable excuse for AJ now. If he is not avoiding Usyk, it is high time to face the mandatory!
“We are now in the position to make the fight happen as soon as possible.”