With Fury unable to fight due to mental issues, IBF holder Anthony Joshua awaiting news on the belts for a potential fight against Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder injured, the 200 pound plus category has come to a grinding halt.
Once the reports from Fury come back, Mendoza, along with the WBO and IBO, will then be able to make a ruling on the championships and hopefully get the titles moving again for the rest of the ranked contenders.
“We have already made two requests to Tyson Fury’s team to get the medical report, so we could know his medical status in full detail,” Mendoza told ESPN Deportes.
“Regarding what actions we might take – everything will depend on the reports. He could be named a ‘champion in recess,’ the championship could become vacant, but we won’t know until we have the medical report.”
On the current situation regarding the WBA’s heavyweight tournament – set up to crown just one sole champion, Mendoza added: “Lucas Browne has an agreement to fight for the ‘regular’ title, whilst Wladimir Klitschko is waiting to see what the WBA does {regarding Fury].
“Also, Luis Ortiz ([WBA interim champion] has not yet reached an agreement to fight Alexander Ustinov because he wants a neutral laboratory to do the drug testing,” he explained.
Fury’s trainer Peter Fury has already confirmed his nephew will be out of action until at least 2017, meaning all three straps currently in possession of the Brit are likely to become vacant.
Klitschko could lay claims to adding all three to a possible date with Joshua on November 26, although the rest of the division may suffer once again if all the championships are tied up to one fighter.
One idea might be to make Browne’s fight, possibly against Fres Oquendo, for the WBA title outright and allow number one contender Joseph Parker to battle Andy Ruiz or Hughie Fury [next in line either side of Klitschko] to fight for the WBO.
Due to the IBO’s ties to K2 and Klitschko in the past, their strap could then be placed up for grabs in the Joshua encounter.
A decision on the Fury situation is expected by the end of next week – at the very latest.
