Just days after becoming the undisputed champion, Oleksandr Usyk’s team have revealed plans that they think m might help them avoid being stripped of the IBF belt.
The IBF had always said they planned to strip their world title from whoever came out on top of the historic showdown in Saudi Arabia this past weekend and that was Usyk, the Ukrainian former undisputed cruiserweight king.
In a close fight with plenty of momentum swings, Usyk was the man who managed to impress the judges most, not least with a huge 9th round that saw Fury out on his feet and stumbling around the ring before being given a standing eight count.
There is a contracted rematch between the two that Fury has said he will trigger before October time, and it seems as though Usyk is keen on keeping all the belts in play and his team have now revealed that they plan to ask for an exemption and have his mandatory delayed until after the rematch.
This comes after that door was left open by IBF President Darryl Peoples who told Boxing Scene that Usyk ‘was eligible to ask for an extension to his mandatory duty against Filip Hrgovic.’ Peoples later said the same thing to Lance Pugmire.
“As far as the IBF rules go, any reigning champion is going to be able to ask for an exception. Any reigning champion can ask for an exception to any IBF rule. They have the right to.”
Speaking to World Boxing News, Usyk’s manager Alex Krassyuk confirmed they would.
“Of course, we will ask the IBF for an exception.”
These plans will be less then great news to the organisers of the Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois fight on June 1. Most people involved with that had expected the IBF belt to be on the one after it was stripped from Usyk but it seems that is now not the case and that instead Usyk could retain his belts.
If that happens, Usyk will have to fight Fury, then Hrgovic or Dubois and then get to work with mandatories for the WBC, WBO, and WBA.
This move also potentially leaves Anthony Joshua out in the cold as he was another fighter hopeful of picking up a world title shot had the belts of been splintered once more.
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