Alexander Krassyuk, co-promoter of Oleksandr Usyk, says his client is the next boxer in line to fight unified champion Anthony Joshua, who holds the WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA world titles.
Usyk is the mandatory challenger under the WBO. He automatically obtained the status by moving up in weight after unifying the entire cruiserweight division.
First up for Joshua is a contracted mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev, who is the top challenger under the IBF.
Usyk was due to face heavyweight contender Derek Chisora, but their fight was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. At the moment there is no telling if the fight will actually be rescheduled.
But lately there has been a lot of talk regarding Joshua facing WBC champion Tyson Fury in a two-fight series in 2021.
Fury will first have to face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy fight, which is being targeted to take place before the end of the year.
Should both champions win, they want to fight each other next year.
There are mandatory hurdles to overcome for both sides.
Dillian Whyte is the WBC's mandatory challenger and his crack at the title is due by February. Whyte recently initiated a legal action against the WBC to ensure that his title shot will move forward.
Fury's promoters, Frank Warren and Top Rank's Bob Arum, are planning to speak to the WBC to delay Whyte's shot. They believe the mandatory order should be modified due to the pandemic placing the entire sport on hold for several months.
And now it appears that Usyk will apply pressure on the other end, by looking to force Joshua into a mandatory fight.
"Usyk's WBO mandatory had to happen before AJ vs Pulev," Krassyuk told Sky Sports.
"But we were flexible and did not put much pressure on, allowing AJ to complete his IBF mandatory while Usyk fights Chisora. But this was made with regards that the WBO champ (whoever he is after AJ vs Pulev) has to make his mandatory versus Usyk. It means that either Joshua fights Usyk first or fights Fury without the WBO belt."
