After next month, the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder sage looks set to miss out on an immediate undisputed clash.
That is highly unlikely to happen despite Bob Arum hoping Fury or Wilder could go straight into a challenge for all the belts next spring.
World Boxing News understands Anthony Joshua has activated a rematch clause to face Oleksandr Usyk around the same time. Therefore, ruling out a step aside by the former champion.
Permutations and scenarios got crunched earlier in the week. They guesstimated that AJ might not want a piece of Usyk straight away.
Those thoughts came after Usyk dominated Joshua and almost stopped him in the final round of their London bout.
Joshua is not said to be deterred from invoking his rematch clause, though.
DEONTAY WILDER UNDERDOG
Fury and Wilder will now face-off for the WBC heavyweight title. Following that up with the likely honor of defending the green and gold strap against Dillian Whyte.
The only way either could have avoided Whyte through an expected mandatory order by the WBC later this year would be to have gone for the undisputed title.
With Joshua now hell-bent on unfavored revenge, Fury and Wilder know a title defense in the first six months will be an important step to facing Usyk for all the marbles.
After being dismantled by Fury in February 2020, it’s surprising to think underdog Deontay Wilder could be just two knockouts from becoming an undisputed heavyweight champion.
BETERBIEV
Meanwhile, another WBC title clash is set for 2021 with big news at light-heavyweight.
This Tuesday, a purse bid was held for getting the opportunity to present the WBC light heavyweight fight between the Russian champion Artur Beterbiev and the mandatory challenger, North American Marcus Browne.
Top Rank won the rights to promote this interesting fight with an offer of $1,105,000.
Beterbiev´s (16-0, 16 KO) last fight was in March. He KO’d Adam Deines after more than a year of inactivity.
Browne (24-1, 16 KO), who won the division silver title, comes from a win over Denis Grachev last April.
