WBA Orders Oleksandr Usyk To Defend Heavyweight Title Vs. Daniel Dubois
Both fighters are coming off of wins.
Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is receiving orders to face all but one opponent whom he really wants – Tyson Fury.
Usyk has most recently been ordered to defend his WBA strap against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois who retained his WBA “regular” title with a third-round stoppage over Kevin Lerena earlier this month, despite hitting the mat three times.
The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee ordered the Heavyweight world title fight between Super Champion Oleksandr Usyk and Champion Daniel Dubois #UsykDubois
— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) December 13, 2022
But a number of reports are pointing to this order not going through.
One factor is that Dubois and Fury are both promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
Another is that Usyk and his team have been in deep talks with Fury and his management to meet for the anticipated undisputed title fight. Fury holds the WBC heavyweight strap. According to Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, a deal is “almost done.”
That bout is being targeted for February 18, February 25 or March 4 in the Middle East.
Following his knockout win of former foe Derek Chisora in their trilogy bout, Fury reiterated that he wants Usyk next.
A different wrench was previously thrown in the Fury-Usyk plans when the IBF ordered Usyk to defend the designated title against mandatory Filip Hrgovic. Hrgovic outpointed Zhilei Zhang in their final eliminator in August.
The WBC has also set up a title eliminator between Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr.
Technically, Joe Joyce is also the WBO interim champion.
Among these sanctioning bodies, there is a debate on which mandatory is due first.
The WBA has not held a heavyweight mandatory since September 2018 when Anthony Joshua defended against Alexander Povetkin. For the IBF, Joshua defended it in December 2020 against Kubray Pulev.
Usyk has yet to accept nor deny any of these orders.