ANTHONY JOSHUA HAS been ordered to defend his WBO heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk following the apparent collapse of the Briton’s fight against domestic rival Tyson Fury.
Fury announced earlier this week he would take on Joshua in Saudi Arabia on August 14, only to be informed hours later by a United States arbitrator that he was contractually obliged to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time.
The legal ruling has led to Fury’s team turning their attentions to Wilder, while the WBO contacted Eddie Hearn on Wednesday, giving Joshua’s promoter 48 hours to show a reason why a fight with Usyk should not be mandated.
Hearn requested an extension until Monday morning to the “show cause” notice in order to “discuss the subject matter and other related affairs” with Joshua, but that provoked an objection from Usyk’s team.
The WBO sided with the Ukrainian, who had previously agreed to step aside to allow Joshua-Fury to go ahead, and said in a statement on its website: “The extension request is hereby denied.”
As a result, the two fighters and their teams have until May 31 to reach an agreement for a fight or purse bids will be called.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
It only seems like yesterday what a night to be remembered Stevo Stevo Stevo they were great days
They should replay this on Sky Sports or RTE please. This is the sort of iconic sports history they should be using to fill the void.
Well Eubank’s wasn’t the only camp spooked by Tony Quinn’s witchcraft! The Limerick hurlers certainly were in the buildup to the 1995 Munster Final, when Loughnane’s Clare team also utilised Quinn’s services. Clare hurled like demons possessed.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Are you actually trying to liken a provincial hurling match to a world championship fight…..?
@Con Al: Ridiclous,a munster final is no place for the likes of those boxers,way too dangerous.
@Con Al: No I’m not.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Clare hurling supporters are worse than England football supporters for living in the past…..1995 was their 1966. Sad.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: not sure where you’re going with that one mate, Clare repeated All Ireland wins in ’97 and 2013!!! Just saying.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: I’m not from Clare though.
I was working in the small grill bar kitchen of the Berkeley court hotel that night, and will always remember flooding the kitchen with water from the Bain marie and calling the union rep down under health and safety in order to get the kitchen closed so we could watch the fight in the canteen
God. 25 years… it was incredible. Stayed in Jurys in Cork city and got but to flight with 2 English friends. When Eubank appeared on the motor bike about 10 feet from us. It was definitely the best atmosphere I ever felt. The 2 lads forgot themselves and started Stevo along with everyone else.
@DeWitt: I was about 10ft away from where he appeared on the motorbike too! And when Eubank lost and was leaving the ring, the chants of “On your bike, on your bike, on your bike.” rang out.
Really like the idea of a Katie Taylor fight some time outside of Dublin.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: has she fought in dublin?
@Darren World: I’m sure in her earlier days! In her current form if she ever fights at here at home you can be sure it will be in Dublin or the general area.
I was in school in St. Brigids Castleknock at the time and Collins son was a year or two below us… In he landed on the Honda Gold wing with the belt and all…. It was absolutely brilliant. We all went mental. I think from that moment I loved boxing.