WBC confirm ‘no restrictions’ to Joshua-Fury bout

Boxing

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has said champion Tyson Fury has “no restrictions” ahead of his undisputed bout against Anthony Joshua next year after Dillian Whyte’s stunning defeat to Alexander Povetkin.

Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) was due to face Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) in a mandatory defense early in 2021 but the latter’s hopes were crushed after he suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of the Russian on Saturday.

Fury is now set to fight American Deontay Wilder in a third fight after he stopped Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) in the seventh round in February following a controversial draw in December 2018.

If Fury defeats Wilder for the second time, Sulaiman said there is a clear path for the lineal heavyweight champion to meet Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) in 2021 after the two reached an agreement to take part in two bouts.

“We don’t speculate, but the time limitations which were put by the WBC board, which had Dillian Whyte won, the winner of the third Fury-Wilder fight has to fight without an intervening bout against Dillian Whyte,” he told Sky Sports.

“That now has changed. Dillian has lost, so there are no limitations at the moment for the winner of Fury-Wilder to do any fight whatsoever.”

When referring to a bout with Joshua, Sulaiman added: “Yes, that includes the [Joshua’s title] defence, and what is the tactics of Anthony Joshua and his position to commit to the fight.

“In the WBC, there will be no restrictions whatsoever right now.

“An ultimate unification would be something that everyone would like to see. It’s a matter that brings boxing to the highest level.”

Joshua owns the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles and his promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed he will face contender Kubrat Pulev in the first week of December.

Whyte had been the leading contender for the WBC for more than 1,000 days; now he faces a longer journey to a first world title shot. Promoter Hearn said he will now try to secure a rematch for Whyte.

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