May 19th 2024.
History was made in the world of boxing as Oleksandr Usyk was crowned the undisputed heavyweight world champion after defeating Tyson Fury in an epic showdown. This victory added a fourth world title to Usyk's already impressive collection, solidifying his place as one of the greatest boxers of our time. However, despite the excitement and celebration, there is a possibility that Usyk may have to bid farewell to one of his treasured belts in the near future.
The highly anticipated fight between Fury and Usyk took place in Saudi Arabia, with the winner being declared the first sole world champion in the division since Lennox Lewis achieved the feat 25 years ago. It was a battle for the ages, with Usyk making a stunning comeback and knocking down Fury in the ninth round before ultimately securing a split decision victory over the "Gypsy King." This monumental win also saw Usyk claim the WBC belt, adding it to his already impressive collection of the WBO, WBA, and IBF titles.
However, the complicated politics of the boxing world and the actions of its sanctioning bodies may result in Usyk having to let go of his IBF title in the coming weeks. Each sanctioning body has a mandatory challenger for their respective belt, and there is a rotation system in place that dictates which belt must be defended first. In Usyk's case, he last defended his IBF title in August against the WBA's number one contender, Daniel Dubois. Now, it is time for the IBF's mandatory challenger, Filip Hrgovic, to have his shot at the title.
Although the IBF had allowed the Fury vs Usyk fight to happen without enforcing their mandatory title defense, they will not wait any longer and will likely force Usyk to vacate the belt within the next two weeks, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafael. This decision was reportedly included in the contract for the Fury vs Usyk fight. Hrgovic is set to fight Dubois in June, and it is expected that the newly vacated IBF belt will be on the line during their match.
This turn of events means that Usyk's reign as the undisputed heavyweight champion will be short-lived, with only three belts on the line in their rematch with Fury later this year: the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles. This situation is reminiscent of Fury's own experience in 2015 when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko to claim the IBF, WBO, and WBA belts. However, the IBF had already lined up Vyacheslav Glazkov as their mandatory challenger, and with Fury opting for a rematch with Klitschko, he was ultimately stripped of the IBF title just ten days after winning it.
Unfortunately, the Fury vs Klitschko rematch never came to fruition, as Fury had to vacate his other titles due to his deteriorating mental health. Despite the potential loss of his IBF title, Usyk's remarkable achievements and undisputed status in the heavyweight division will always be remembered and celebrated in the world of boxing.
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