Frank Warren, Tyson Fury’s promoter, said Fury deserves another shot at the undisputed heavyweight title in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. This will be a defeat for Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, who were counting on the IBF belt.
Usyk is expected to lose his IBF title ahead of the rematch later this year, but Warren says the title cannot be stripped from him until his suspension ends. After a powerful victory over Fury in Saudi Arabia, Usyk was banned from fighting until June 2. Fury was also suspended, but his ban was lifted on May 25.
Usyk has already asked for an exception to retain the IBF title, and Fury’s promoter believes it will be fair for them to fight for all four belts again, even though Joshua and Fury’s stablemate Dubois wanted their shot at the title.
Dubois is scheduled to fight Filip Hrgovic next weekend in a huge heavyweight bout, with the winner likely to face AJ later in the year in an IBF world title fight or in a final elimination fight. There have been rumors that Dubois and Hrgovic could win the IBF title this weekend, but Warren believes that only the interim title should be at stake.
Warren revealed to Seconds Out: “He was suspended, Oleksandr, due to a fierce fight. I think the commission has 45 or 40 days to do so, so he cannot be deprived of the same at this stage because he is not able to defend the title, so we will see what happens. The fight we just talked about, Dubois vs. Hrgovic, is a fantastic fight and in the worst case scenario it will be an interim title fight, if it happens as an interim title fight there is no problem with that,” he reports mirror.
“A lot of people are going to be upset when I say this, especially the Hrgovic camp and maybe Daniel, who I’m involved with, but I feel like it should be ephemeral because I think the rematch should be for the four belts.”
The future of Usyk’s belt remains uncertain and a request has already been submitted to the IBF. However, Warren insisted that a rematch with Fury would see him defend the undisputed crown again, so Joshua and Dubois will be forced to wait until after the rematch for that chance.
The promoter also praised Joshua, who is currently on a three-fight winning streak, suggesting his next fight should be against Dubois, provided the Briton prevails over Hrgovic. “This is what everyone wants to see, this is what I would like to see. “AJ is in really good shape at the moment, he’s looked very good in his last two fights, and he and Ben Davison are obviously a partnership that’s working really well,” he added.
“Let’s say it like it is, who wouldn’t want to see the winner of Hrgovic fight against Daniel Dubois [AJ] and I hope it’s Daniel, because then it will be a British thing, two powerful boxers, [it] Don’t get more exhilarating than that.
“Whatever happens, even if it involves the interim title, it means there will be a rematch [between Usyk and Fury]this means whoever wins will have to fight one of these guys [Dubois or Hrgovic or Joshua]”