It will be a shame if Otto Wallin gets a chance to fight for the title

The trouble with this is what happens if "the full champ" continues to swerve not only Hrgovic but also Zhang. People were saying the same thing about Usyk v Joyce, why not make it for the interim belt and let Fury fight Joshua... But we all know what happens here, the "undisputed" champion no longer has to fight anyone he doesn't want to fight, and we are back to Mayweather Mk. II

I am cynical by nature, but this is boxing. And quite frankly the timing of this announcement is extremely suspicious. Then throw in that it is a signed contract with no fight date! And they are deliberately avoiding questions related to a rematch clause...

Let's be honest, we can lampoon Fury for his antics, but team Usyk is on board with this nonsense too, because... it benefits them.

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Announces the fight, helps to sell the Ngannou fight.

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Announces the fight, doesn't have to fight his mandatory challengers in Hrgovic (and Zhang).

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Stump up the cash, as they have already signed Usyk up to a deal. They likely don't fancy risking putting Usyk in with Hrgovic after what they saw happen against a limited opponent like Dubois.

It's been 18 months since I posted this:

I posted this about Fury summer 2022. Sadly, it looks like it also now applies to Usyk too:

Like really in the last 18 months all that changed was Hrgovic and Zhang established themselves against each other and Joyce took a loss to Zhang.

The window for the Undisputed fight to happen was Spring/Summer 2023. It didn't happen, so Usyk should be dealing with his mandatories. If he doesn't want to, fine. He can still fight Fury for big money. But the IBF belt shouldn't be on the line. But sadly, the IBF showed they too will follow the money, when they allowed Ruiz to fight Joshua in a rematch, but at that time Pulev was happy to wait for a big money opportunity against the winner. This is different though, as explained above.

Like really what does this fight represent? Undisputed ducking champion? It will give us the man of the division, but it certainly doesn't solidify the best of the generation. And how confident are we that (A) the winner doesn't retire (B) the winner doesn't relinquish titles and chase money fights marketing themselves as "the man of the division"

This is short-term glory, and long-term damage. Boxing does it again

 

Hearn was close enough to the first one to break the story that there is a rematch clause for both Fury and Usyk in their upcoming match and the IBF have already said whoever wins must defend the IBF belt straight away or lose it.

So Hrgovic vs Joshua for the IBF title is close to a given early next year and as you said, it just adds weight to Joshua-Wilder just getting pushed back yet again and perhaps never even happening.

 

Wouldnt be a surprise if hes Joshuas fight in December.

 

Wallin could well be Wilder's best win, funnily enough. Either him or Ortiz

 

Perhaps - Ortiz was slightly more proven, not that that's saying a lot, but old.

IMHO there's a reason Wilder ducked anyone decent, I think he's nowhere near as good as people think and he knows it... clever to drum up attention and reputation by letting more popular fighters think he'd give them a crack at his belt when he had no intention of ever fighting them.

 

Well evidenced that americans get a pass.

 

Too much meat left on the bone if he does that. No Zhang, No Hrgovic, No Wilder, No Joyce, No mas.
He won't make the Top 10 at Heavyweight and might get ranked #2 behind Holyfield at cruiser for good measure.

 

If he beats Fury, Usyk has completed boxing and can retire as the best to ever do it.

Every year there will be new contenders for every one he bats down another will appear, but what more would he really have to prove at heavyweight, particularly at his age?

- Schools AJ x2 who has beaten other contenders like Whyte, Parker, Ruiz et al.
- Hypothetically beats Fury who has beaten current contenders Wilder, Wallin
- He's beaten Chisora and Dubois.
- He would have one over Wlad having beaten the guy/guys who dethroned him.

Does anyone really believe that any of Hrgo, Zhang, Joyce, Bakole, Ajagba or Andersen are better than the guys in that list?

If he was younger and a natural heavy then I'd agree, but he has already had one career as the GOAT cruiser, now he's looking to capture all the belts at heavy in effectively a second career to bolster already legendary status.