At Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) there are already two mandatory contenders for the defense of the champion titles. One of them is according to the WBO, which appointed Joe Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs).
The Ukrainian is resting, healing old injuries and, most importantly, spending time with his family, and should be ready to return to the ring no earlier than February. Usyk has expressed a desire to have a unification fight with Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs), but the World Boxing Organization may force him to fight Joyce instead.
“In an ideal world, I would like to meet Usyk, but it looks like he will wait for Fury, return to the first heavyweight or retire. He can be stripped of his title, and then I will be renamed into a full champion. I think Usyk will avoid the fight with me and give up the WBO title. He doesn't want to have anything to do with me. He made a lot of money fighting Joshua, has been in the sport for many years and has hundreds of Olympic boxing fights under his belt. If nothing comes of the fight with Fury, I don’t know if he wants to continue his career, ”said Joyce.
Last month, the Briton knocked out Joseph Parker and got the WBO heavyweight belt, but so far only a temporary version of it.
