Worldwide Boxing Federation President Daryl Peoples has confirmed that it’s not sure Oleksandr Usyk will lose his IBF heavyweight title.
Peoples spoke to Lance Pugmire of Boxing Scene this week to make clear the IBF’s place on studies that they’ll stripe Usyk in days. Usyk defeated Tyson Fury on Saturday evening in an excellent efficiency, cementing his legacy as the most effective top-division boxer of his era. The Ukrainian can also be the lineal champion and Pound for Pound king after unifying two weight lessons of all 4 belts.
Nevertheless, assumptions started virtually instantly after the triumph that the IBF would pull the identical transfer they did towards Fury when the Briton toppled Wladimir Klitschko. Fury misplaced his IBF model inside per week earlier than Vyacheslav Glazkov and Charles Martin confronted off for the vacant strap two months later.
WBN believed this wasn’t a certainty in a number of articles earlier than and after Usyk’s win in Saudi Arabia, which Folks’s has since clarified is the case. Folks reiterated the IBF guidelines, however that gave hope to those that wished to see Usyk stay the undisputed king of boxing.
“The rule is, you can not have a clause in your contract that ensures you a return bout that can intervene together with your obligatory,” Peoples informed Boxing Scene. “It’s not a secret amongst promoters. Everybody, roughly, is aware of the results of getting these clauses. We’ve been down this highway earlier than.
“So far as the IBF guidelines go, any reigning champion goes to have the ability to ask for an exception. Any reigning champion can ask for an exception to any IBF rule. They’ve the proper to.”
Requested by Pugmire if Usyk is certain to lose his championship, Peoples replied: “I don’t know.” Proper now, Hrgovic-Dubois will not be for any title. At this level. I’m positive individuals are making selections behind the scenes earlier than they strategy me about something.”
These ‘selections’ will likely be within the fingers of His Excellency Turki Alalshkih, who – just like the fans- may also need the undisputed title to stay intact for the Usyk vs Fury rematch. The Saudi Chairman’s powers of persuasion ought to see Hrgovic agreeing to an ‘interim’ title being on the road for the Dubois battle, with the promise that the Croatian will face Usyk for all of the {hardware}.
Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay. Be taught extra concerning the writer, skilled boxing author, and World Boxing Information Editor since 2010. Observe on Twitter @PhilJWBN.