JEFF POWELL: Boxing has moved further away than ever from crowning its first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis… the millions on offer have made things difficult, but fights to excite the fans can still be made
Daniel Dubois or Deontay Wilder to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for most of the heavyweight titles.
Anthony Joshua coaxing Tyson Fury into lifting his prohibition on their never-happening Battle of Britain.
Or Fury to substitute Usyk with Wilder in a fourth edition of their epic WBC championship saga.
Maybe Joe Joyce to come through his April warm up fight to snaffle a shot at Fury’s belt.
The permutations are endless after the agonising cancellation of the fight the world was waiting to see and was so close to happening… Fury vs Usyk on April 29 at Wembley Stadium.
The highly-anticipated fight between Tyson Fury (pictured) and Oleksandr Usyk is off
Usyk’s team pulled out of negotiations because of demands made by Brit Fury for the bout
But the one certain, miserable reality is that boxing has moved further and further away now from finding it’s first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis retired 19 years ago.
And all because even more millions can be made at the cost of that glittering prize.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren, having fought tooth and nail to salvage April 29, has no option but to move on in the interests of another of his big men.
He will open negotiations on Monday for Dubois to trigger his mandatory challenge for Usyk’s WBA title. Think June in London’s 02 or Manchester Arena.
Joe Joyce (left) could work his way into a heavyweight title fight, while Anthony Joshua (right) could also get involved in negotiations again
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, was left furious at the cancellation of the fight from Usyk’s team
As long as Usyk does not drop that belt in favour of a heftier pay-load against mammoth puncher Wilder in Saudi Arabia for his IBF and WBO titles.
Warren, furious at Team Usyk suddenly pulling the plug, makes it clear that he will not make it easy for their man to slip down that escape road when he says: ‘The WBA ordered Usyk to defend against Dubois, their ‘regular’ champion’, if Fury-Usyk fell through. And Daniel will not take step aside money to let him fight Wilder.’
Dubois says: ‘I believe you have to stand up and seize your chance if it comes. And I believe I can beat him. Usyk is a brilliant boxer but I’m much bigger. Joshua lost twice to him even though he too was bigger. But AJ is not as big a puncher as me.
Daniel Dubois has said he believes he can beat Usyk and would be willing to take a fight if the opportunity presented itself
‘The first time I hit Usyk it’s over. Whether here or in the Middle East.’
Nevertheless, the fracturing of boxing’s supreme prize threatens to be worsened by Saudi riches even if Fury-Wilder 4 happens in the summer. Although that prospect faded when the American, whose only two defeats were at the fists of Fury, was seen recently in Jeddah as a guest of the Kingdom.
The midsummer odds seem to favour Usyk vs Wilder or Dubois and Fury vs Joshua. Both, as it happens, would be fights to excite the fans. Not that they are the first priority in what has become a sport of mind-blowing millions.
But who knows? Perhaps, come September or October in Saudi Arabia, we may yet see the Gypsy King versus the Ukrainian war symbol – for all the jewels in the crown.
