By VadimPushkin
Russian heavyweight boxer Alexander Ustinov (33-1, 24KOs) is still planning to continue with his planned scheduled fight on February 25th in the UK.
Ustinov and his manager, Vladimir Hryunov, were hoping to fight for the "regular" championship of the World Boxing Association (WBA) on that February date against either Shannon Briggs or Fres Oquendo.
Those hopes were dashed aside, when last week the WBA ordered Briggs to face Oquendo to fight for the vacant WBA belt - with the winner having to make a mandatory defense against Ustinov.
Briggs and Oquendo have 30 days to reach an agreement or a purse bid will be ordered.
Ustinov has been in limbo ever since the WBA's planned heavyweight tournament fell apart. The sanctioning body ordered a tournament to establish a single WBA world champion in the division, but entire bracket system fell apart due to injuries, failed drug tests and fighters dropping out. Ustinov, inactive since December 2015, was ordered to fight then WBA interim-champion Luis Ortiz. The fight fell through after both sides were unable to agree on the drug testing terms.
As it stands right now, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko will battle for the vacant WBA "super" title on April 29th. The winner of that fight will have to make a mandatory defense against Ortiz.
"You have to be subtle in these types of situations. Briggs and Oquendo were allowed to negotiate for the title, but we have a plan of action in this type of a situation... and I'll tell you about when the we receive another document from the WBA. The next fight for Alexander is scheduled for the 25th of February in England," Hryunov told Vassily Konov.
