THE WINNER between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr will have to fight Kubrat Pulev or vacate the IBF world title, promoters have claimed.
Brit star AJ, 30, rematches Ruiz, also 30, for the unified belts on December 7 in Saudi Arabia after suffering a shock 25-1 defeat in June.
Kubrat Pulev is the IBF mandatory challengerCredit: Getty – Contributor
But the pair already have TWO mandatory challengers waiting, with the WBO and IBF claiming their No1 contenders are next in line for a shot at the titles.
And Pulev’s promoters told Sky Sports their fighter will be challenging for the red heavyweight belt in his next fight, whether it’s vacant or against Ruiz or AJ.
US promotion Top Rank said: “Kubrat Pulev’s next fight will be for the IBF world heavyweight title.
“If the Joshua-Ruiz winner decides not to fight Pulev, his next fight will be for the vacant IBF title.”
Pulev, 38, has been IBF mandatory since he beat Tyson Fury’s cousin Hughie in Bulgaria last year, but had two fights since.
However, after kissing a female reporter after his win against Bogdan Dinu in March, the heavyweight was suspended and only cleared to box again after completing a sexual harassment prevention class.
Pulev faces a battle against WBO mandatory Oleksandr Usyk, 32, who became No1 in the organisation’s rankings as soon as he moved up to heavyweight.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn admitted the winner after December 7 will likely have to choose what challenger to face, relinquishing a belt in doing so.
Hearn said: “We’re going to have a problem where [Usyk and Pulev] both say: ‘you’ve got to fight me next’.
“Some belt could become vacant. “Because the IBF and the WBO are both going to order their mandatories after Joshua-Ruiz Jr.
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“Unless a deal can be done with someone, you’ve either got to do that, or vacate.”
Ex-heavyweight champion David Haye, now manager to Derek Chisora, believes AJ or Ruiz would likely pick to fight Pulev, if they had to, and avoid tricky southpaw Usyk.
And Haye revealed he will lobby for Chisora to face Usyk for the WBO strap, if it were to become vacant.
Oleksandr Usyk is the WBO mandatory challenger after moving up to heavyweightCredit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA
Derek Chisora’s manager David Haye wants the Brit veteran to face Usyk if the WBO belt becomes vacantCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
