Usyk - mandatory challenger for WBO HW title.

[ValMar]

Krasyuk claims that Usyk will soon become the official mandatory challenger for WBO HW title. Good news !

[tiny_acres]

Standard procedure for wbo when a champion moves up in weight

[ValMar]

Standard procedure for wbo when a champion moves up in weight

I like this !

[tiny_acres]

I like this !

It's really not a bad policy.

[Enlightened-One]

Krasyuk claims that Usyk will soon become the official mandatory challenger for WBO HW title. Good news !

Hearn says that Usyk will be AJ's next opponent if they fail to secure the title unification bout against Wilder, with Kubrat Pulev being next in line to face the Brit.

So it seems that, after the Miller bout, Joshua will either be facing Usyk or Wilder next, immediately followed by Pulev.

Personally-speaking, I think it’s too soon for Usyk. The Ukraine needs a few heavyweight bouts under his belt to acclimatise himself to his new weight class before considering sharing the ring with someone like AJ.

[DrDuke]

It's time for the wet dreams.

April-June '19 is for Fury-Schwarzenegger, Wilder-Breazeale, Joshua-Miller, Usyk-Takam.

October-December of '19 is for Fury-Wilder, Joshua-Pulev, Usyk against the likes of Whyte, Ortiz, Povetkin.

Somewhere in the first half of '20 there should be Fury-Wilder winner vs Joshua, Usyk agaisnt someone else of Whyte-Ortiz-Povetkin list.

Next there should be the Undisputed champ vs Usyk.

[SenorPipino]

Hearn says that Usyk will be AJ's next opponent if they fail to secure the title unification bout against Wilder, with Kubrat Pulev being next in line to face the Brit.

So it seems that, after the Miller bout, Joshua will either be facing Usyk or Wilder next, immediately followed by Pulev.

Personally-speaking, I think it’s too soon for Usyk. The Ukraine needs a few heavyweight bouts under his belt to acclimatise himself to his new weight class before considering sharing the ring with someone like AJ.

I don't believe Hearn.

He could build Joshua-Usyk as a super fight. But it will take more than a year and at least 3 fights to promote Usyk as a heavyweight threat.

But promoters always say a lot of things that never materialize

Most likely Pulev will be the fall opponent. If Joshua survives the Big Baby.

[Onetimeonly]

Krasyuk claims that Usyk will soon become the official mandatory challenger for WBO HW title. Good news !

I told y'all that months ago.

[oogiebe]

I told y'all that months ago.

Yup you did. Gotta give that one to you!

[ValMar]

I told y'all that months ago.

Well done, if it is true.

[Onetimeonly]

Well done, if it is true.

Of course it's true. Who would lie about that?

[Best Coast]

Hearn says that Usyk will be AJ's next opponent if they fail to secure the title unification bout against Wilder, with Kubrat Pulev being next in line to face the Brit.

So it seems that, after the Miller bout, Joshua will either be facing Usyk or Wilder next, immediately followed by Pulev.

Personally-speaking, I think it’s too soon for Usyk. The Ukraine needs a few heavyweight bouts under his belt to acclimatise himself to his new weight class before considering sharing the ring with someone like AJ.

I agree completely that Usyk needs more than just a bout against a HW like Carlos Takam. AJ will be very hard for Usyk to beat even AFTER he's faced a few other top HWs. Even Holyfield fought veteran HWs like Tillis, Pinklon, Dokes & Stewart before he fought for the world HW title.

[Enlightened-One]

"Povetkin is Still Very Interested in Fighting Oleksandr Usyk"

Alexander Povetkin explained why he was interested in a fight with fellow Olympic gold medal winner Oleksandr Usyk...

Usyk's team said they were going forward with plans to move up to heavyweight and vacated the WBA crown.

A fight between Usyk and Povetkin was being targeted for a date in May.

But Usyk's co-promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, said the two parties were unable to reach an agreement.

Usyk will now face Carlos Takam, who Povetkin knocked out a few years ago.

Povetkin states that he is still very interested in facing Usyk.

"There was talk of having a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, and then they said that he had other plans. I was not against the fight with him in principle... he is a good, strong boxer. For me, the fight with him is, of course, interesting. Because any time you meet with an Olympic champion [in the ring], you meet with a master of his craft. We’re in boxing and go to face the strongest opponents, "said Povetkin on Octagon TV.

----------------------------------------------------

Did Usyk's handlers reject the Povetkin fight in preference to facing an easier opponent like Takam? That's what it sounds like.

I don’t blame them for doing this, but the hype surrounding Usyk suggests that they’re looking to take the shortest possible route to becoming the world heavyweight champion by mixing with elite-level opposition and then Joshua or Wilder.

No disrespect to Carlos Takam, he’s a fine boxer, but he’s only a fringe contender – a gatekeeper that has never beaten a world-rated fighter. He has also been KO’d by Povetkin.

I’ve always maintained that Usyk needs a few heavyweight bouts under his belt to acclimatise himself to his new weight class before considering sharing the ring with someone like AJ, which means I actually approve of his bout against Carlos Takam.

However, I’m not sure if I approve of the media hype surrounding Usyk that was created by Eddie Hearn, since it creates unrealistic expectations. It opens Oleksandr up for receiving criticism if fight fans expect the Ukraine to face the best there is, but then they choose an opponent like Carlos Takam instead of a superior fighter like Alexander Povetkin.

[marvelous marv]

If Joshua wont fight Fury or Wilder next, I am starting to lose interest in his career.