By Vadim Pushkin
The WBO cruiserweight champion of the world, Krzysztof Glowacki (25-0, 16KOs), is feeling the pressure to make a mandatory title defense against Oleksandr Usyk (9-0, 9KOs) of Ukraine.
Glowacki is likely going to make a voluntary defense against former IBF champion Steve Cunningham in April. He captured the world title last August with a knockout victory over longtime champion Marco Huck of Germany. He suffered some injuries to his hand and elbow during the contest and required surgery.
Uysk, an Olympic gold medal winner, is being fast-tracked to the belt and wants to face the champion sooner than later.
The CEO of K2 Ukraine, Alexander Krassyuk, says Glowacki must make his mandatory by mid-May and it's going to be difficult to fulfill the order of the WBO is he faces Cunningham in April. If he does go forward with Cunningham, then K2 Ukraine will push for him to gets stripped of the title for failing to satisfy the WBO's order.
"Exactly two months before the expiration of the mandatory defense, approximately around the middle of March - the champion will receive a letter from WBO which orders him to face the official challenger by mid-May," said Krassyuk.
"In the event that he's unable to make the fight within the specified period of time, then Glowacki will be stripped of the title. Therefore, he and his team will have to make a tough decision if they intend to go on with a bout in April with Cunningham and lose the title in favor of refusing to do a mandatory against Usyk.
