It’s not something Oleksandr Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, would currently get but he can certainly play spoilsport role later on.
And by the look of things, it seems Usyk is going to demand his mandated title shot against IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA champion Anthony Joshua.
Usyk’s camp has reiterated their expectation to get a world heavyweight title shot in 2020 and insisted they won’t let Joshua get past Usyk to get a unification title fight against Fury.
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The 33-year-old Ukrainian must first come through Dereck Chisora to get any shot at materializing the title fight.
While Joshua and Fury both have their mandatory fights with Kubrat Pulev and Deontay Wilder coming on in June and July respectively.
The boxing world is currently in search of identifying the best world heavyweight boxer and Oleksandr Usyk it seems wants to sneak past to get his name considered for it.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had also taken interest in making a fight between his player and Fury but for that to happen both have to win their mandatory bouts.
Joshua-Fury fight Can’t happen: Usyk’s camp
When asked by Sky Sports about the possibility of Joshua-Fury fight for unification, Oleksandr Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, replied:
“They can’t. How can they do that?”
“Right now, we have to win (against Chisora), then after the mandatory fight for the WBO has to happen.”
Joshua can go on to fight Fury later this year for the biggest boxing showdown but in that case, he’ll have to sacrifice his WBO belt.
This will stretch the matter further as the fight would not be for the best but only for three world titles.
Usyk’s camp further pointed out that Joshua fight is something the fans are looking for rather than Fury-Joshua fight.
“I believe Anthony also wants this fight. Good fighters want to fight good fighters. Anthony sees a good challenge in Oleksandr and wants to go there,” Klimas said.
“In the UK would make sense- it wouldn’t make sense to go to the states with one boxer from the UK and one from Ukraine. The UK fans know Usyk,” he added.
Chisora a big challenge: Usyk
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“I think the Dereck Chisora fight will be a huge challenge for me. I will prepare, train hard as I used to train,” Usyk said to Matchroom Boxing.
Usyk further said that “we will make a great show for boxing fans, and they will love.”
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I enjoy watching his fights, and he’s improved his skills considerably after Vitali Klitschko. I like to watch him fight,” he added.
Earlier, Usyk made his heavyweight debut with a successful on with a second-round TKO of Chazz Witherspoon. The Chisora fight can be touted as the fight which could considerably change his bargaining position in heavyweight ranks.