Eddie Hearn says Joshua can't fight Wilder even if he wanted to, because he has to box off his mandatories otherwise he'll lose his IBF strap, but that's bull****. Before Klitschko retired, Joshua was lined up to fight him in a rematch. Why wouldn't Joshua have lost his IBF belt in the Klitschko rematch? Klitschko wasn't ranked no1 with the IBF, he couldn't have been because he had just been beaten. The IBF said nothing of Joshua being de-strapped for the Klitschko rematch so why would they say it for the Wilder fight? It don't make any sense.
Joshua was granted an exemption for Klitsckho rematch by the IBF but in the event that Wlad retired the IBF stated that he has to fight NO.1 Contender Pulev.
That exactly. They had been negotiating for that and there was that issue of the WBA belt (Ortiz) as well. And now that Ortiz vs Wilder has fallen trough, I won't be surprised if Joshua vs Ortiz is up next after Pulev.
Ortiz hasn't been banned by the WBA, I don't think. It's just the WBC. So currently he would still have to fight Ortiz. If not I think their number 2 is er...Ustinov
The WBC didn't ban him either. They changed it into an health issue, like they were concerned he would be fit enough to enter a boxing ring with his high blood pressure. He now has to prove via doctor reports that he's "fit to fight".
Oh, I didn't know that I thought he was just straight up banned. Then I guess Joshua-Ortiz is still very much on the cards.
How could Hearn justify an Ortiz fight for the WBA strap, when he came out saying all that about Ortiz should be banned? We all know he said it because he wanted to mix things up to get Whyte a fight and he'll look pretty hypocritical accepting any Ortiz fight now after that.
Guess he wont have a choice if its forced onto him by the WBA... maybe the WBA will give them some leeway now to fight someone else
Because Hearn is a massive hypocrite. IMO he only signed Ortiz to keep him away from AJ for a bit. Whyte has a failed test too as does Kid Galahad but Matchroom had no issues with them being on their shows.
