Lots of chatter that Joshua will vacate the WBO

[ShoulderRoll]

Pulev would actually be the smart choice, easier to get a fight with Usyk to win it back because he is also with matchroom

Is that an American pit bull terrier in your avatar?

[MulaKO]

Why would he drop the WBO? They agreed that the IBF is next in the rotation then them.

Unless it's a ploy by Eddie Hearn to ensure he has another heavyweight champion on tap in case one of them loses.

That’s exactly what I was thinking
Really no need to drop the belt unless your ducking and his Boss told him we need to keep that belt in-house
Just goes to prove what ALL these heavyweights are about

[WBC WBA IBF WBO]

Why would he drop the WBO? They agreed that the IBF is next in the rotation then them.

Unless it's a ploy by Eddie Hearn to ensure he has another heavyweight champion on tap in case one of them loses.

That's exactly the reason. Pulev is mandatory and there is no rematch clause. Dropping the WBO would prevent Pulev from winning it if he pulls off the upset and then Joshua can fight Usyk for the WBO.

[Zelda]

I don't know if this is true or not but it certainly is a possibility.

Why? because Usyk will fight Parker for the WBO and both are associated with Eddie. Joshua can then, maybe in 2021, have a "unification fight" making it a bigger even to earn more money. In any case, the belts remain in-house. I am not of the opinion that Usyk presents a danger to AJ to suggest a duck. Pure business decision IMO. Plus, if they do end up fighting Wilder/Fury and lose, they still got a belt under their stable.

[Kezzer]

It would make a much bigger fight if usyk (or Chisora) held the WBO belt and they unified?

To me, this actually makes quite logical sense. I’m not so sure if it will happen though

[Articulateboxin]

Well I think he had to take the Pulev fight first as the IBF would guarantee he'd get stripped otherwise. The WBO seemed to have accepted they were second but vacating probably makes the most business sense. Uysk has delayed his Chisora fight, perhaps him and Parker fight for the vacant WBO once Parker fights his cab driver, then meet AJ for a unification later in 2020? That fight is much larger than AJ just defending it against Uysk in a mandatory defence. Either way, I don't think it makes sense for AJ to meet Uysk until he's had at least one proper HW fight, if nothing but for credibility.

[hansS]

Joshua had to fight either Pulev or Usyk. They took the safer route.

[alexguiness]

Dropping the the WBO belt would be very humble...

[MDPopescu]

Why would he drop the WBO? They agreed that the IBF is next in the rotation then them.

Unless it's a ploy by Eddie Hearn to ensure he has another heavyweight champion on tap in case one of them loses.

... I thought the same thing...

[DaNeutral.]

FFS people complain that he might take on mandatories, complain that he might drop belts. Complain that he might take on one, and drop the other.

Which is it?

All of it, these American haters will complain when Joshua breaths in and will complain when he breaths out. They moaned about him not dropping belts and lining up the winner of Fury Wilder and complained about him fighting Pulev and Usyk and if he doesnt fight Usyk they will complain about that too. They moaned when he lost to Ruiz and then moaned when he beat Ruiz.

Its what they do, These PBC Wilder fans are just under the impression that if they keep moaning about and attacking Anthony Joshua on a forum he may just leave Deontay Wilder alone.