Ukrainian boxer, Oleksandr Usyk, wants a shot at the heavyweight title, joining Kubrat Pulev as both fighters hoping to face the winner of the upcoming rematch between Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua on December 7 in Saudi Arabia.
“The winner of Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua will have to choose who they are going to fight,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told the media. He added: “(Usyk) really wants it.”
Usyk became the unified cruiserweight champion in 2019 and will debut as a heavyweight on October 12 in Chicago. He defended his WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF belts in November 2018 with a TKO of Tony Bellew.
Bulgarian heavyweight Kubrat Pulev has previously held the European heavyweight title and is the IBF’s mandatory challenger.
According to IBF: “Ours has to come first. The organizations have agreed that the IBF mandatory would be next”.
Pulev has only one professional loss, coming against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2014.
Usyk was to make his heavyweight debut in May against the heavyweight veteran Carlos Takam, but had to withdraw due to bicep injury. His rival for his October heavyweight debut has yet to be announced.
