WBO Heavyweight Merry-Go-Round of Choice: AJ, Usyk, Whyte, Ruiz, Ortiz or Joyce?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
The World Boxing Organization has granted the Oleksandr Usyk camp a time extension to negotiate an acceptable financial deal to fight Anthony Joshua for their version of the world heavyweight title later in 2021, or the bout will go to a purse bid. Meanwhile, A.J. and promoter Eddie Hearn are now also considering the possibility the Usyk bout might not happen, and other challengers are now being considered.
The short list of replacement challengers, if Usyk pulls out, includes: former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.; former two-time world title challenger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz; and British heavyweight Dillian Whyte (after beating former world heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin recently in a rematch).
British and European champion Joe Joyce, and Daniel Dubois (who fights Bogdan Dinu for the WBA regular version of the world heavyweight title shortly) are not on the short list. However, presuming Dubois wins, either Dubois, Joyce or Whyte could be candidates to face Usyk for the vacant title as all three are British nationals and could be promoted in the United Kingdom for the vacant title versus Usyk. Tyson Fury, if he beats Deontay Wilder in August 2021 in their trilogy World Boxing Council world heavyweight title bout, would be looking to unify against Joshua or one of his other British compatriots later. Joshua must defend his belts if he is to unify the title against the winner of Fury versus Wilder III.
In this reporter’s view, Usyk’s move to heavyweight parallels the move by Tomasz Adamek from cruiserweight to heavyweight. Usyk is better off pursuing the WBC Bridgerweight title (the new WBC junior heavyweight world title), as Usyk is still not a natural heavyweight. Usyk is sort of like former World Cruiserweight champion Marco Huck’s step up to heavyweight. Huck is now trying to face Joyce. Whether Usyk or Huck face Joshua or Joyce is less relevant than the fact neither former world cruiserweight champion has the proper size or balance to transition to heavyweight. True, Heavyweight is where the money is, and the coronavirus pandemic has not encouraged regular activity among elite boxers. Ring rust presents a danger at all times. Size differential truly figures in no matter what era a fighter fights in. It does not matter if small guys fight Anthony Joshua, Nicolai Valuev, Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce or Robert Helenius. These guys are gargantuan monsters, and cruiserweights are better off staying at cruiserweight. The real story is Tyson Fury, who will face any of these challengers. Tyson Fury today is like the Jack Dempsey and Iron Mike Tyson of yesterday, a pit bull chewing on a ragdoll. Usyk or anybody out here can fight Anthony Joshua, but all roads now lead to Tyson Fury, heavyweights be so advised.
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