Oleksandr Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in the ninth round of their world title bout to keep his dreams of becoming two-division undisputed alive.
The Ukrainian was dropped in the fifth round with a shot that was deemed low by the referee – something Dubois’ team believe warrants a rematch – and regained control to finish the Brit early.
With that mandatory challenge out the way, the unified champion now wants to resume negotiations with Tyson Fury, the heavyweight division’s other champion.
The pair failed to come to terms earlier this year, and whilst they both seem more willing now, there’s a big obstacle in the form of Filip Hrgovic.
The undefeated Croatian is the IBF’s mandatory challenger, and next up in the rotation. He was willing to let the undisputed talks go on before, but his promoter Kalle Sauerland tells Boxing Social that’s no longer the case.
“Two, three weeks ago now we got letters – us and Usyk – saying that if we won our McKean and they wont he Dubois fight that the negotiations would be ordered immediately from the IBF.
Let’s not forget that Hrgovic was confirmed for the final eliminator in February 2021. We’re talking a couple years now, and we didn’t really throw down the book too much when everybody was expecting the Fury-Usyk to get made. We were relatively patient, but now It’s got to Hrgovic’s turn.”
Sauerland said that he immediately contacted the sanctioning body following the Dubois victory, and wants the fight before the end of the year.
“This morning we have written to the IBF to inform them that we are fit, willing and able to enter that bout. There’s no interest on our side to step aside for anything. I don’t know what we’d be stepping aside for, because Tyson’s contracted to fight in seven weeks.
This fight should take place in December.”
Team Usyk are yet to respond to such talks.