Anthony Joshua & Tyson Fury latest

ANTHONY Joshua’s blockbuster battle with Tyson Fury will not have the WBO belt at stake unless Oleksandr Usyk receives a title shot first, the Ukrainian’s promoter has warned.

IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Joshua has agreed financial terms to meet WBC titleholder Fury twice next year in mega-fights that would have every divisional title on the line.

But Usyk, the WBO mandatory challenger, is also owed his chance and if he is overlooked by Joshua in favour of fighting Fury instead, that belt could become vacant.

Joshua will next face IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev while Fury meets Deontay Wilder for the third time. But Usyk, who is expected to face Derek Chisora in the meantime, intends to throw a spanner into the works of their planned undisputed showdown.

“Usyk’s WBO mandatory had to happen before AJ vs Pulev,” his promoter Alexander Krassyuk, who works alongside Eddie Hearn, told Sky Sports.

“But we were flexible and did not put much pressure on, allowing AJ to complete his IBF mandatory while Usyk fights Chisora. – skysports