styles make fights ward is an inside boxer he wont be able to tie up beterbiev because beterbiev loves close quarters too risky of a fight for too little pay. he'd likely vacate it. also it's the IBF title that has the dumb 10 pound weight rule. that rule sucks at 175.
Beterbiev wrote a post on his facebook page about what's going to happen. 5-6 fighters including him got a letter from the IBF to participate in an IBF Title eliminator. They have to respond (Yes or No) before today (23rd). Beterbiev already answered with a yes. Fighters include Kovalev, Skoglund, Keeling, Bozel and Stieglitz. If nobody else responds with a yes before today. Beterbiev will be named mandatory challenger to the IBF belt and Ward has until september to fight him or vacate his title.
I just heard: 1- Nobody said yes so Beterbiev is going to be the IBF mandatory challenger. 2- This doesn't mean anything because he will be in line behind several other mandatory challengers from the WBA and WBO and might not get his shot until 2018-2019. Gotta love boxing...