WBO has announced Oleksandr Usyk to be the mandatory challenger for the winner of the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr.
Usyk received the priority over the other boxer, Dillian Whyte after WBO pointed out that the Ukrainian boxer has not an exceptional amateur career but also has an unblemished career record of 16-0 which allowed him to be the undisputed champion of the cruiserweight.
Earlier this month, Andy Ruiz Jr. was able to stun both Joshua and the world after he took Joshua’s WBO, IBVF, and WB title belts after defeating him in their heavyweight title clash. Now the pair is once more set to meet each other in the ring in either November or December of this year at a location that is still to be decided.
The official ruling from WBO states as follows,
“The foregoing accomplishments of Mr. Usyk awarded him WBO Super Champion status recognition whereby he’s entitled to certain rights and privileges, including mandatory challenger designation in an immediate higher or lower weight division.”
Usyk managed to unify the cruiserweight class after he defeated Murat Gassiev back in July of 2018 and even went on to defend his title 4 months later against Tony Bellew.
Unfortunately, Usyk had to pull out of his heavyweight debut fight in May against Carlos Takam due to suffering from an injury.
Whyte has a career record of 25-1 and since his loss to Joshua back in 2015, he has won 9 fights in a row. He was not given the mandatory for Joshua Ruiz match winner due to his commitment for fighting Oscar Rivers in July this year.
While the decision by WBO is final, Whyte still has 14 days for making an appeal to their ruling.
Joshua, who had undefeated career record so far, suffered a major loss in his US debut fight after Ruiz Jr. got 7th-round stunning victory.
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