Tyson Fury's return to the ring is still yet to be confirmed following the WBC's decision not to name Dillian Whyte as mandatory challenger.
It was widely expected that a bout between the two Brits would be ordered earlier this month but complications have left Fury's immediate fight future shrouded in uncertainty.
Whyte pulled out of a bout against Otto Wallin on October 30th with a shoulder injury and was keen to avoid a reschedule.
Along with promoter Eddie Hearn, Whyte had been pushing for Fury to be named as his next opponent - which the WBC were expected to agree with.
However, ongoing arbitration between Whyte and the WBC, which ironically stems from the delay in giving the British fighter his heavyweight title shot, meant the governing body elected not to take action.
Once again, it leaves Fury in the middle of out-of-ring drama - which was witnessed last year when an American court ruled he must honour his rematch with Deontay Wilder, ending hopes of a unification bout against Anthony Joshua.
A potential fight with Whyte would not be remembered for the bout itself and would instead be seen as a stepping-stone towards a unification fight.
Similar circumstances occurred in Fury's victory against Wilder, which was a stunning fight but is one that will be remembered as the bout that cost fans the chance of seeing Fury go toe-to-toe with Joshua.
That court ruling also opened the door for AJ's fight with Usyk, a bout that represented a banana skin for the Brit and one he fell to - quite dramatically in north London as, despite the fight going the full distance, the defending champion never had control.
Like the court ruling, that once again cost fans the hope of seeing AJ vs Fury and, given the manner of Joshua's defeat to Usyk the first time around, there's real concern that the rematch will see the same result - and again leave fans without the unification bout they're desperate for.
The danger is that any Fury fight with Whyte is in the same bracket and is one see as a placeholder until a unification bout goes ahead later next year against the victor of AJ vs Usyk 2.
Fury's trilogy bout with Wilder was orientated by discussions of a unification bout with Joshua and it seems very likely that any fight with Whyte will lead to similar focus.
