Onetimeonly wrote: ↑13 Nov 2018, 09:32
Enlightened-One wrote: ↑13 Nov 2018, 09:19
Onetimeonly wrote: ↑13 Nov 2018, 09:08
Usykl would have to fight at heavy once. Then he'll be the mandatory.
Usyk will be instated as the WBO's mandatory challenger shortly after AJ defeats Whyte in April, but the Brit would likely be forced to make the Ukraine wait a year for his title shot, because of his busy schedule.
Either way, we won't see a bout between AJ and Usyk until the second half of 2020 (at the earliest), unless Matchroom pays step-aside fees.
He'll be the mandatory as soon as he moves up.
That may or may not be true, but it's irrelevant, since the WBO rules allow two mandatory challengers.
Here's what we know based on Eddie Hearn's and Oleksandr Usyk's own words...
Oleksandr Usyk has two bouts remaining from his three-fight deal with Matchroom. If the Ukraine wants to receive an opportunity to share the ring with Anthony Joshua, he’ll have to ensure that K2 and himself extend that deal.
Eddie Hearn has stated his belief that Oleksandr Usyk will almost certainly want at least two fights at heavyweight prior to challenging for the world title. The Ukraine apparently doesn’t want to face AJ immediately, and coincidentally, Matchroom wants the public interest in this bout to “marinate.”
The Matchroom boss also expressed his doubts about Usyk fighting again until May, because the Ukraine is "tired" after having a particularly difficult 2018. Oleksandr confirmed this during the Tony Bellew post-fight press conference.
For now, though, Oleksandr Usyk is still a cruiserweight and hasn't vacated any of his 200lbs titles. K2 will notify Matchroom of their plans for Usyk's preferred career path and Eddie Hearn will attempt to facilitate them.
Eddie Hearn hasn’t ruled-out the potential of a bout between Usyk and Joshua during 2019, because AJ is genuinely interested in facing the Ukraine "Road Warrior", but he said that this would be challenging (highly-unlikely), for the following reasons:
• If Anthony Joshua can make the Deontay Wilder title unification bout during 2019, that'll be a two-fight deal, which will include a guaranteed immediate rematch clause.
• AJ will almost certainly be facing Dillian Whyte on the 13th April 2019 and probably Kubrat Pulev in September/October if Joshua fails to agree terms with 'The Bronze Bomber' for their title unification fight.
• Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller will soon become the mandatory challenger for AJ's WBA title, which is an opportunity the American will likely explore during the first half of 2020 (assuming Joshua isn't tied-up with the Wilder rematch).
If everything that Usyk's team and Matchroom have been telling the media is true, then Oleksandr is highly-unlikely to face Anthony Joshua during 2019.
