Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) may “throw out” the IBF belt if the International Boxing Federation insists that he defend against mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) before the fight for the absolute with the WBC champion Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs). So says British columnist interviewer Gareth Davies.
“I don’t know what I would do and throw away this title. I would talk to them and tell them I need a reprieve. But if the IBF doesn’t agree, then yes, I think he will drop the title and fight Fury. Because it’s a megafight,” Davis said.
iFL TV. “For Usyk, this is a legacy-defining fight, and if he wins (and he is not the favorite), then it will be a very, very important moment for him. He will achieve legendary status.”
The columnist says he can’t imagine Usyk wanting to fight Hrgovic instead of Fury next.
“This is a huge, lucrative fight. The fight for the absolute in any case must beat the fight-obligation. People dropped their belts more than once to go to a certain fight. Like I said, an IBF title on the line would be great, but it doesn’t have to be there because we all know these two are fighting for the #1 title in the world. I think the IBF is missing a lot when it insists on a binding. Guys, yes, many of us thought that Hrgovic lost to Zhang, ”Davis recalled about the controversial result of the battle.
It’s no wonder, he says, that promoters Sauerland and Hearn are pushing hard on the Hrgovic option “because they’re not making a dime from Fury vs. Usyk.”
At the same time, Usyk’s promoter assures that not everything is so bad.