SAUDI ARABIA’s proposed four-man heavyweight tournament could be set for a major shake-up – and make it even BETTER.
A mouthwatering tourney involving Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder is tentatively in the works for December.
The current plan is to have Fury and Usyk square off in an undisputed showdown and Joshua and Wilder throw down in a long-overdue grudge match.
But those plans could end up being scuppered by Brit Daniel Dubois.
The WBA ordered Usyk to defend his title against Dubois in April but a deal has yet to come to fruition.
But should the fight – which has gone to a purse bid – fail to materialise, the WBA will order Usyk to fight former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder.
Veteran boxing reporter Dan Rafael revealed the news, writing: “Should Dubois be unavailable to participate in the title bout with Usyk this summer, be it due to the knee or any other reason, WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Fight Freaks Unite that Dubois would lose his position as mandatory challenger.
“And that the organization would order Usyk to instead defend against former WBC titlist Deontay Wilder, who is ranked No.1 by the WBA.”
The ordering of a Usyk vs Wilder fight would throw a spanner into the works of the Saudis’ winter plans.
It could, however, result in them potentially pivoting to a mouthwatering Battle of Britain between Joshua and Fury.
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Negotiations, however, are still ongoing for Fury and Usyk to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion in nearly 25 years.
Although they’ve once again ground to a halt.
Pound-for-pound king Usyk told Vringe: “[We’re] at an impasse.
“The fight will take place sooner or later. And everything will be decided in the ring.
“The fight will take place sooner or later. And everything will be decided in the ring.
“A big man who has very good abilities in boxing and in life, but this big man is very afraid of losing.”
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Joshua vs Wilder, meanwhile, is still being worked on – although AJ promoter Eddie Hearn has since revealed he could take a warm-up fight against Dillian Whyte.
The Matchroom Boxing chief said: “If they [the Saudis] can’t get [Tyson] Fury-Usyk over the line, they will still do AJ vs. Wilder.
“You hit the numbers that we want, and then we work backward on that for the August fight that he [Joshua] will be having.
“We all believe he needs that fight in August and more time with [trainer] Derrick James, more preparation for Deontay Wilder, and then that’s it.
“Who we choose will be dependent on if we get that Wilder deal done.
“I like the Dillian Whyte fight [for Joshua]. Whether he gets the Wilder fight done or not, I like that fight.
“I think it’s a fight that AJ will get up for.
“I think it’s a fight that he can have some spite for, and it’s a fight that is dangerous.”
