ANTHONY JOSHUA will ‘one million per cent’ face Oleksandr Usyk if a fight with Tyson Fury cannot be agreed, reveals Eddie Hearn.
Usyk maintained his mandatory position for Joshua’s WBO belt after beating Dereck Chisora on points on Saturday.
Anthony Joshua will ‘one million per cent’ face Oleksandr Usyk if a fight with Tyson Fury cannot be agreedCredit: ©Mark Robinson Ltd
Usyk maintained his mandatory position for Joshua’s WBO belt after beating Dereck Chisora on SaturdayCredit: ©Mark Robinson Ltd
And the Ukrainian is expected to apply pressure on unified champion AJ to either defend his belt against him or vacate it.
Joshua, 31, has already verbally agreed a two-fight deal with Fury, 32, assuming he gets past Kubrat Pulev on December 12.
But if the agreement collapses, his promoter warned that Usyk, 33, will be their next challenger.
Hearn said: “AJ wants to fight Usyk.
“It’s all business, money is important to them but Usyk wants a heavyweight world title.
“If we can’t make the Fury fight and AJ beats Pulev, he is fighting Usyk one million per cent.”
Joshua has not fought since reclaiming the WBA, IBF and WBO titles in Saudi Arabia against Andy Ruiz Jr, 31, last December.
But he returns to the ring next month facing Pulev, 39, in a defence mandated by the IBF.
Fury has already verbally agreed a two-fight deal with Joshua for next yearCredit: PA:Press Association
WBC king Fury is also expected to fight a week beforehand, his first since dethroning Deontay Wilder, 35, in February.
If the heavyweight champions both prevail, it sets them up for a double header in 2021.
But Usyk is ready to jeopardise the undisputed title decider by demanding that AJ fights him next or else drop the WBO strap.
He told Sky Sports: “I am the mandatory for Joshua so he has two options. One, to fight me. Two, to vacate and to go and fight Fury.
“Either he fights me or relinquishes. I am waiting. I am ready.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
