With Deontay Wilder's successful arbitation to enforce his rematch clause against Tyson Fury, the WBO has given Anthony Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn until Friday to explain why he should not be giving Oleksandr Usyk his mandatory title fight next.
All promoters involved in the long-running saga to deliver a four-belt unification superfight between "AJ" and Fury had managed to convince the WBO, IBF, WBC and WBA to get on board with a summer showdown to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis back in 1999.
However, with Wilder now seemingly enforcing an immediate rematch for the WBC crown he lost to Fury in February 2020 and the WBC being on board with that route, other bodies are beginning to lose their patience.
In a letter to Hearn posted in public on their website on Wednesday, the WBO made it clear Joshua should defend their version of the belt (and with it, likely also the WBA and IBF titles) against mandatory challenger Usyk if Fury is now fighting Wilder first.
It read: "Dear Mr. Hearn: Please be advised that on Monday, 17, 2021, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) was advised that the arbitrator presiding over Tyson Fury/Deontay Wilder rematch clause dispute rendered an “Award” granting Deontay Wilder injunctive relief and ordering Tyson Fury to participate in a rematch with Deontay Wilder on or before September 15, 2021, unless both parties agree to a further extension. The award issued by the arbitrator is binding and enforceable between the relevant parties.
"Conversely, as you are aware, on January 29, 2021, the WBO World Championship Committee ordered the commencement of the negotiations for the Interim Heavyweight Championship contest between Usyk/Joyce to keep the division active and to seek the protection and safeguard the rights and interests of Usyk and the remaining WBO Heavyweight Contenders considering the potential Undisputed Heavyweight Championship bout between Joshua/Fury.
"Such ruling was subject to very specific conditions, including but not limited to the WBO Championship Committee’s right to issue any further ruling or determination deemed necessary, helpful, and convenient to establish the purposes, policies, and intent of the WBO Rules and Regulations.
"Wherefore, considering the foregoing, and per this Committee’s right to issue any further ruling or determination per WBO rules and regulations, it is hereby ordered to “Show Cause” within the next 48 hours upon issuance of this order as to why the WBO World Championship Committee shall not order the commencement of negotiations between Mandatory Challenger Oleksandr Usyk and WBO Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua immediately.
"Be advised that failure to comply with this order will constitute a waiver of all rights hereunder and with the Committee proceeding accordingly without a further summons and/or hearing."
Usyk then posted his own response to the week's developments on Instagram, bluntly telling Hearn: ""Hi Eddie, I want money...more money!"