By Tris Dixon

THE president of the WBC Mauricio Sulaiman insists the heavyweight fight he wants to see is a unification contest between Anthony Joshua – who holds the WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO belts – and the WBC champion.

However, who holds the green belt by the time the titles are under one roof remains to be seen.

Some speculated this week that Tyson Fury, who had seemed destined to rematch Deontay Wilder for the WBC crown after their controversial draw in December, is no longer a possibility given his new alliance with ESPN and Bob Arum but Sulaiman hopes that second fight is still alive.

“Well, we’ve spoken to both parties and we have given them a deadline,” he said of the Wilder and Fury camps. “Once we have heard from each promoter the WBC board of governors will rule the next steps.”

He added that he would not speculate whether Dillian Whyte or Dominic Breazeale, mandated to fight for a secondary WBC belt and the No. 1 contender’s spot, may wind up fighting Wilder while the political situation unfolds and deals are attempted to be made.

Has Fury’s bold US move made things more complicated according to the WBC boss?

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It could be better, it could be more complicated, we will see. We all hope the best thing for boxing happens. The world wants to see the rematch and it’s up to the promoters to give it to the world. They have the support [of the WBC], they have the mandate to do it, hopefully they will reach an agreement and the fight happens. I remain positive.

"Tyson Fury personally asked for the rematch. Wilder personally asked for the rematch. The fighters have been waiting for the rematch to be signed and to go into the ring to prove who is the world’s best heavyweight. This is coming from them directly and the world and the fans want the rematch so everything is set for the fight to take place. Let’s see if those who are in charge of the business side of the sport – which is the promoters – make it happen.

"The WBC does not get involved in any commercial [matters] or in the business side of the sport, we are administration and medical so everyone is doing their best to make this fight happen.”

Even if Wilder-Fury II does happen in the near future, the golden egg fight with Joshua seems nowhere near for 2019, even though that remains Sulaiman’s ultimate goal in the division.

“The WBC has made it clear for a long time, and last year we were very openly trying to mediate and help make such a great fight happen and we have that same feeling,” he continued. “There are many great things happening in the heavyweight division and I hope that everyone involved works for them to happen.”