Anthony Joshua will be ordered to make a mandatory defence of his unified heavyweight world titles against Oleksandr Usyk next.
The Brit regained the WBA, IBF & WBO belts with a masterclass boxing display in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr on Saturday night, but news quickly broke of his potential next move.
The WBO president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel tweeted in the immediate aftermath: “Clash of the Dunes is over.
“Now clash of the mandatories will be next. WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk within 180 days.”
It was already known that AJ will have a dilemma post fight, with two mandatory challengers awaiting the winner of the rematch.
The WBO have now made it clear they’ll order their mandatory Usyk within 180 days (by June 4).
Meanwhile, the IBF are almost certain to also to push their challenger Kubrat Pulev, who is due a shot next too.
Therefore, AJ will likely have to choose between the two and could be forced to vacate one of his three world titles.
