ANTHONY JOSHUA is on course to nab one of Oleksandr Usyk’s belts – without having to face the Ukrainian in a trilogy fight.
Usyk, 37, became the undisputed king of the heavyweights last Saturday with a split-decision victory over Tyson Fury.
The slick southpaw is now the owner of the WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO and Ring Magazine titles as well as the newly-created ‘Undisputed’ belt.
But he’s set to lose his grip on one of them in a matter of DAYS.
Come June 1, Usyk will no longer be in possession of the IBF heavyweight title.
That’s because mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic will finally get his long-awaited crack at the belt when he throws down with Brit Daniel Dubois a week on Saturday.
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Croatian clubber Hrgovic has been the mandatory challenger for the belt for nearly two years.
The IBF didn’t enforce a mandatory fight for their prestigious red strap in order for the first undisputed heavyweight king in 25 years to be crowned.
But they made it crystal clear that Hrgovic would be fighting for the belt after the historic unification bout.
What’s currently unclear, however, is whether they’ll strip Usyk or allow him to vacate the belt.
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The victor of Hrgovic versus Dubois will make their maiden title defence against Joshua, who is expected to return to the ring in September.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Saudi boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh said: “We have Joshua’s fight in September.
“It all depends on the result of the Hrgovic fight [with Dubois].
“Because now we have locked Wilder to Jared Anderson in the card in Los Angeles.”
According to Joshua, who was ringside for Fury vs Usyk, that fight will take place at Wembley Stadium.
He told talkSPORT: “Whenever they tell me there’s a date, you know I’ll be ready 100 per cent.
“It’s gonna be in London, Wembley Stadium.
“This is what I’m being told. If that’s what they say, they normally back their word so let’s go with that.
“Wembley, September 20 or 21.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
