Joe Joyce Eyes April Return: Wants Usyk Clash, Then Fury-Joshua Winner

Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce has placed a target on the back of Oleksandr Usyk - but he doesn't plan to wait around forever for that contest to take place, according to the British boxer's manager Sam Jones.

Joyce and Usyk are the two highest ranked contenders under the World Boxing Organization.

Usyk is the mandatory challenger, while Joyce secured the number two ranking last year when he knocked out Dabiel Dubois for the EBU, British and Commonwealth titles.

The two boxers could potentially get ordered to face each other - if current world champion Anthony Joshua decides to vacate the title.

Joshua has to make a mandatory defense against Usyk, but he may be forced to drop the title in order to move forward with a high stakes unification clash with WBC world champion Tyson Fury.

According to Jones, his boxer is planning to fight on a date in April - and he's more than willing to face Usyk next, even if an interim-WBO title is at stake or the sanctioning body orders them to collide in a final eliminator.

"The next couple of weeks because Joe wants to fight in April which is only 10 or 11 weeks away," Jones told Sky Sports.

"Joe will fight in April. We won't stall his career. If it's a different opponent then it's a different opponent, unless the WBO order Joe and Uysk to have a final eliminator. It is all dependant on the Joshua-Fury situation. We have made it clear to Frank Warren, Joe's promoter, that we want to fight Usyk even if it's an interim title fight.

"Joe would be a big underdog and would be written off but we're confident that he would stop Usyk. Joe is all about goals, he looks forwards not backwards. He wants Usyk then the winner of AJ vs Fury."

Joyce's promoter, Frank Warren, has already stated in interviews that he intends to push hard for his boxer to secure a world title shot in 2021.