Unified heavyweight world titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr. and former titlist Anthony Joshua still have nearly four months until their rematch takes place in Saudi Arabia, but two fighters are already starting to campaign to take on the winner.
Oleksandr Usyk, once the undisputed cruiserweight champion, wants a shot at the heavyweight title, joining Kubrat Pulev as fighters hoping to face the Ruiz-Joshua winner.
"The winner of Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua will have to choose who they are going to fight," Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports.
Added Hearn: "(Usyk) really wants it."
Usyk was the undisputed cruiserweight champion from 2018 to March 2019, and will debut as a heavyweight on Oct. 12 in Chicago. The WBO made Usyk the mandatory challenger once the Ukrainian boxer shifted to the heavyweight class.
Pulev has previously held the European heavyweight title and is the IBF's mandatory challenger.
"Ours has to come first. The organizations have agreed that the IBF mandatory would be next," the IBF said, according to Sky Sports.
Pulev has only one professional loss, coming against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2014. He was suspended for six months starting in May after kissing a female reporter on the lips after a fight in March. Pulev was cleared to fight again by the California State Athletic Commission after he was fined $2,500 and ordered to attend a sexual harassment awareness course.
Usyk was to make his heavyweight debut in May, but a bicep injury kept him from taking on the heavyweight veteran Carlos Takam. His opponent for his October heavyweight debut has yet to be announced.