Tyson Fury has been given the green light by the WBC to fight Anthony Joshua in a blockbuster Battle of Britain if he can defeat Deontay Wilder as the Brits finally agreed financial terms for two super fights over the next two years earlier this summer, and the chances of the first bout happening in 2021 received a huge boost after Dillian Whyte relinquished his mandatory position to Fury’s WBC title.
Whyte was set to fight the winner of Fury and Wilder’s trilogy clash but has been denied his long-awaited crack at a world title after Alexander Povetkin produced a devastating one-punch knockout on Saturday night.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has now confirmed that Fury is freed up to fight whoever he wants should he come through against Wilder.
Sulaiman told Sky Sports: “We don’t speculate, but the time limitations which were put by the WBC board, which had Dillian Whyte won, the winner of the third Fury-Wilder fight has to fight without an intervening bout against Dillian Whyte.”
“That now has changed. Dillian has lost, so there are no limitations at the moment for the winner of Fury-Wilder to do any fight whatsoever.”
There has been a huge clamour for Fury and Joshua to meet in a fight for the undisputed championship, which remains some way off from being done but now has one less hurdle to overcome.
Speaking specifically about that fight, Sulaiman said: ‘Yes, that includes the [Joshua’s title] defence, and what is the tactics of Anthony Joshua and his position to commit to the fight, in the WBC, there will be no restrictions whatsoever right now.”
“An ultimate unification would be something that everyone would like to see. It’s a matter that brings boxing to the highest level.”
Joshua will also first have to deal with Kubrat Pulev, who he is scheduled to defend his WBA, IBF and WBO belts against in December, before a fight with Fury can become a reality.
Whyte, meanwhile, intends to trigger an immediate rematch against Povetkin in a bid to reclaim his No 1 spot with the WBC, and his promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed he wants to land that fight before the end of the year.
