Many boxing fans thought that it was only a matter of time before Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s showdown was made official with a venue and date. However, there could still be one final roadblock in the way of any potential fight between the two Brits, as reports have indicated that an agreement is still yet to be reached between Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk.
The agreement for the two fights to come to blows is believed to be the one thing stalling an official announcement regarding the unification bout.
Boxing News: Usyk Mandatory Tag Remains Issue
Eddie Hearn has constantly spoken about the fact that the governing bodies have to support the unification fight in order for it to happen. There seemed to be a breakthrough a couple of months ago when the WBO accepted that the unification fight is the route that should be taken, but that has left mandatory challenger Usyk without a fight for the foreseeable future. It is likely that a fight for Usyk will need to be agreed upon before any deal between Joshua and Fury is finally concluded.
But, Hearn believes that a bidding war for the fight could be the end to the saga, as the Brit has claimed that he will be looking to bid for the Usyk/Joyce fight, as it could make for a compelling night of action. It has also been rumoured that the winner could be awarded the interim title and the right to face the winner of the Joshua and Fury showdown.
Boxing News: Usyk Looking To Continue Record
There is no denying that Usyk is one of the names that many boxing fans expect to see in a title fight in the near future, as he has performed excellently since stepping up from the cruiserweight division. The Ukrainian has only fought on two occasions as a heavyweight, but his win at the end of October against Derek Chisora has proven that he is ready to step up for another big challenge.
That big challenge looks set to come in the form of Joyce, who shocked the world back in November as he brutally knocked out Daniel Dubois to win the WBC Silver, WBO international and European heavyweight titles. There is every expectancy that the two fighters will not meet in the ring at some point this year, and who ever wins will get the opportunity to face off against the best heavyweight on the planet.
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