Oleksandr Usyk has warned Anthony Joshua he will not wait for his planned undisputed fight with Tyson Fury before he gets his mandated shot at the WBO belt.
Ukrainian Usyk remains mandatory challenger for Joshua’s WBO heavyweight belt after beating Derek Chisora in a points win on Saturday night.
Joshua, the IBF, WBA and WBO champion, faces Kubrat Pulev in his next defence on December 12 and then plans two fights against WBC title holder Fury next year.
But Usyk, who underlined his credentials at heavyweight against Chisora, wants to fight for the WBO belt in 2021 and has told Joshua to fight him next or vacate the title.
Usyk told Sky Sports: "I am the mandatory for Joshua so he has two options. One; to fight me. Two; to vacate and to go and fight Fury. Either he fights me or relinquishes. I am waiting. I am ready.”
After beating Chisora at Wembley Arena, Usyk outlined his plans for the heavyweight division. He said: "Not just world champion, the undisputed world champion [is my aim]."
Before to the fight with Chisora, Usyk's co-promoter Alex Krassyuk said: “Usyk is already in AJ's head. Their fight will happen anyway, this is just a matter of time. AJ knows that this guy is a real threat for him."
If Joshua comes through the Pulev fight, he is likely to apply to the WBO to keep his belt to fight Fury for the undisputed title.
Hearn said: "If Joshua beats Pulev he wants to fight Fury and I don't see any fight getting in the way of that. If Joshua wins he will apply to the WBO and say: 'I would like to fight Fury for the undisputed title'.”
