Boxing: WBA title confusion clouds Anthony Joshua’s plan to face Gassiev next
Confusion over the WBA heavyweight title has clouded British boxer Anthony Joshua’s plan to face Russian boxer Murat Gassiev next, leaving the proposed unification bout in doubt. Speaking on the development, Gassiev criticised the WBA for not elevating him to full world championship status when Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt. The 32-year-old said […] Boxing: WBA title confusion…
The WBA heavyweight title confusion has cast doubt on British boxer Anthony Joshua's plan to face Russian boxer Murat Gassiev in a potential unification bout, leaving the proposed match uncertain. Gassiev has criticized the WBA for not promoting him to full world championship status following Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk's vacating of the belt.
The 32-year-old Russian fighter described the situation as "strange," noting that Joshua vs. Fury was treated as a 'super' title fight, relegating him to a secondary belt-holder. Consequently, Gassiev contends he should now be the mandatory challenger for the winner between Joshua and Fury. Gassiev told Sky Sports, "This situation is interesting, a little bit strange, with the belt.
When Usyk left his belt, I woke up as a super champion. Go to sleep, wake up, I am again the regular champion. It's okay. I am not angry. I understand. 'A present from me. Just one thing. Who wins (between Joshua and Fury) after the fight, I need to fight with this guy for sure.'"
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