Negotiations in boxing are far from solid at the best of times, and a heavyweight undisputed bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was hanging by a thread when the IBF recently announced Filip Hrgovic was next in line.
Hrgovic’s promoters – Kalle Sauerland and Eddie Hearn – were keen to push for an immediate purse bid for their fighter to get his shot at Usyk’s belt, and for a moment in time it looked like this may be the stumbling block to stop one champion being crowned in the division.
The IBF, as reported by Dan Rafael, have now been in touch with Sauerland about the situation, first summing up the timeline.
“Oleksandr Usyk is the IBF/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Champion. Oleksandr Usyk made a Mandatory defence of the WBO Heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on September 25, 2021.
On November 12, 2022, the IBF ordered Champion Oleksandr Usyk to commence negotiations with IBF Mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic who became the IBF Heavyweight Mandatory contender on August 20, 2022, by winning an IBF Elimination bout against Zhilei Zhang.”
The letter – signed by IBF President, Daryl J Peoples – went on to conclude that the WBA belt, also held by Usyk, was next due a mandatory.
“On November 14, 2022, the WBA notified the IBF that the WBA was next in the “rotation” system established by the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO.
The IBF agrees that the WBA is next in the rotation. Based on the information provided by the WBA, the IBF is rescinding the order for Oleksandr Usyk to commence negotiations with Filip Hrgovic for a Mandatory defence of the IBF Heavyweight title dated November 12, 2022.”
Of course, the WBA mandatory won’t be a problem, simply because Frank Warren promotes both Fury and Daniel Dubois – who’s been first in line since he won the WBA Regular belt.
This will allow Fury to pursue undisputed status whilst young ‘DDD’ waits in the wings with a promise from his promoter for a future shot.
Finally, the IBF staked their claim for next in the rotation after the WBA, and plan to order their mandatory accordingly.
“The winner of the WBA Heavyweight Mandatory defence will be ordered to make a defence of the IBF Heavyweight title within one hundred eighty (180) days of the WBA Mandatory defence.”
The situation and correspondence perhaps sum up the effort fighters and promoters must go to to crown one champion in the four-belt era. It looks that this time, at least, it will all work out okay.
Fury and Usyk continue to negotiate for the fight, which is targeted for the first week in March and will likely land somewhere in the Middle East.
Breaking: IBF rescinds Usyk-Hrgovic mandatory order. Hrgovic team was fighting hard for purse bid to be scheduled, which was the point of no return. Now won’t be sked, a big hurdle to clearing way for undisputed fight vs. Fury. Dubois rights protected but he won’t be next. pic.twitter.com/BqMvryg1q4
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) January 9, 2023