Anthony Joshua given 48-hour deadline by WBO to rectify Tyson Fury fight before he is ordered to face Oleksandr Usyk
Anthony Joshua has been given 48 hours by the WBO to prove his fight with Tyson Fury can go ahead before he is ordered to face Oleksandr Usyk.
The governing body’s stance on Wednesday evening is a further blow to the planned undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Joshua and Fury for August 14 in Saudi Arabia.
A court ruled on Monday that WBC champion Fury must take on Deontay Wilder again by September 15, meaning IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder Joshua may instead fight Usyk next.
Usyk was called Joshua’s “Plan B” by promoter Eddie Hearn because he is the WBO mandatory challenger.
The WBO had originally agreed to forego Usyk’s right to a shot at the belt because of the magnitude of the planned undisputed title fight but Joshua now has two days before he will be ordered to face the undefeated Ukrainian.
