FORMER UNDISPUTED WORLD cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been named as the mandatory challenger for the WBO heavyweight title currently held by Andy Ruiz.
Barring exceptional circumstances, the winner of Ruiz’s winter rematch with Anthony Joshua — which is yet to be officially nailed down by promoter Eddie Hearn but will have the WBA, IBF and WBO titles on the line — will have to defend against the Ukrainian badman or relinquish the WBO belt.
Former Olympic gold medalist Usyk went on a remarkable run to clean out the cruiserweight division, winning seven consecutive world-title fights on away soil and picking up all four major belts before announcing his intention to compete a weight class above.
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The 32-year-old, whose record stands at 16-0(12KOs), was due to make his heavyweight debut against tough gatekeeper Carlos Takam last month but was forced to withdraw through injury.
Usyk hasn't fought since flattening Tony Bellew in November. PA Archive / PA Images
PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images
He last fought in November when he lowered the curtain on Tony Bellew’s career with an eighth-round stoppage in Manchester.
Ruiz’s upset of Joshua took a spanner to Usyk’s plans; the Ukrainian signed with promoter Eddie Hearn with the sole aim of dethroning Joshua and taking his three heavyweight titles only to watch the amicable Mexican-Californian beat him to the punch.
However, following a petition filed on his behalf by lawyer John Hornewer, Usyk has leapfrogged perennial contender Dillian Whyte in the queue to face whoever holds the WBO belt after Ruiz and Joshua’s sequel.
Whyte had hoped the WBO would postpone their ruling until after he fights Oscar Rivas in London on 20 July, but in any case has been more active in his pursuit of a mandatory shot against WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Whyte has been the WBC’s top-ranked challenger for well over 18 months but is yet to receive his shot at Wilder, who has beaten Luis Ortiz and Dominic Breazeale and drawn with Tyson Fury in the intervening period.
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Heavyweight newcomer Usyk named as WBO's mandatory challenger for Ruiz-Joshua II winner
FORMER UNDISPUTED WORLD cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been named as the mandatory challenger for the WBO heavyweight title currently held by Andy Ruiz.
Barring exceptional circumstances, the winner of Ruiz’s winter rematch with Anthony Joshua — which is yet to be officially nailed down by promoter Eddie Hearn but will have the WBA, IBF and WBO titles on the line — will have to defend against the Ukrainian badman or relinquish the WBO belt.
Former Olympic gold medalist Usyk went on a remarkable run to clean out the cruiserweight division, winning seven consecutive world-title fights on away soil and picking up all four major belts before announcing his intention to compete a weight class above.
The 32-year-old, whose record stands at 16-0(12KOs), was due to make his heavyweight debut against tough gatekeeper Carlos Takam last month but was forced to withdraw through injury.
He last fought in November when he lowered the curtain on Tony Bellew’s career with an eighth-round stoppage in Manchester.
Ruiz’s upset of Joshua took a spanner to Usyk’s plans; the Ukrainian signed with promoter Eddie Hearn with the sole aim of dethroning Joshua and taking his three heavyweight titles only to watch the amicable Mexican-Californian beat him to the punch.
However, following a petition filed on his behalf by lawyer John Hornewer, Usyk has leapfrogged perennial contender Dillian Whyte in the queue to face whoever holds the WBO belt after Ruiz and Joshua’s sequel.
Whyte had hoped the WBO would postpone their ruling until after he fights Oscar Rivas in London on 20 July, but in any case has been more active in his pursuit of a mandatory shot against WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Whyte has been the WBC’s top-ranked challenger for well over 18 months but is yet to receive his shot at Wilder, who has beaten Luis Ortiz and Dominic Breazeale and drawn with Tyson Fury in the intervening period.
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