Tyson Fury facing Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight crown, got reignited by the news coming out of the WBC Convention.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stated that ongoing legal challenges by interim champion Dillian Whyte prevented them from naming the Briton as mandatory.
This ruling means Fury can fight anyone in the top fifteen WBC Rankings or another champion – as in three-belt ruler Usyk.
As Bob Arum explained to WBN before the Fury vs. Deontay Wilder trilogy, there is a problem involving Usyk’s contract with Anthony Joshua.
“If there weren’t a (Joshua-Usyk) rematch, we would probably go right into doing that fight (after Wilder III), but there is a rematch clause,” Arum told WBN.
Now, weeks later and with Fury defeating Wilder again, Arum spoke to Sky Sports for an update.
“The alternative [for Tyson Fury now] is that if Joshua decides not to exercise his rematch against Usyk and decides to step aside, the fight we would like to make is between Usyk and Fury. That is a fight to unify the titles once and for all.
“Then Joshua can fight the winner of the undisputed fight. Whyte can stand in line and fight the winner ultimately.
“That’s what Tyson would like. And I represent Tyson. That is his preference. “If they want to fight each other, which I believe they do? I would facilitate it.”
Arum must be ruing the day he turned down the chance to sign Usyk as that heavyweight super-fight would have been a lot easier to negotiate.
The whole event now rests on Eddie Hearn and AJ, so nobody holds their breath for an amicable step aside.
UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT
Speaking about Usyk to WBN, though, Arum has nothing but praise for the amazingly talented Ukrainian.
“Let me tell you. There are very few guys in boxing as nice as he is,” Arum told World Boxing News of Usyk. “He’s very intelligent, and he’s a lot of fun.
“He’s really got a sense of humor, and he’s just a pleasure to be with and such a real fun guy. On a friend level, I really like him very much.
“I always had a great feeling for him.”
If the Joshua rematch delays the contest, Fury can choose from a voluntary list that includes stablemate Joe Joyce.
