Mauricio Sulaiman says the WBC ruling on setting a mandatory challenger for heavyweight champion Tyson Fury remains unchanged; the WBC has previously said Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz should box in a final eliminator for the title; meanwhile Fury hints a “big announcement” is imminent
Fury last boxed in December, when he took a straightforward victory over Derek Chisora in London. But he has not fought this year and still has neither an opponent nor a fight date scheduled for 2023.
“Usyk, (Anthony) Joshua and even (Andy) Ruiz didn’t materialise. Fury wishes to have the best fight possible,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told
The heavyweight division at championship level has been dormant so far in 2023. Oleksandr Usyk, the unified WBO, WBA and IBF champion has not boxed since beating Joshua in their rematch last August.
His negotiations to fight Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship in April collapsed and Usyk is now due to make a defence against WBA mandatory Daniel Dubois in Poland in August.
The WBC may have to reconsider its current ruling on selecting a mandatory challenger for Fury in time, but it will maintain the policy announced last year – Deontay Wilder can fight Andy Ruiz in a final eliminator for a shot at Tyson Fury and the WBC championship.
“The WBC has the Wilder vs Ruiz final elimination still in the administrative process,” he continued. “Such process is not finished. The WBC is not considering any alternative.”
Fury himself has promised a “big announcement coming”.
He said, on social media: “I know I’ve said it a few times now but I’m very excited. It’s here, it’s landed.
“We’re coming and we’re bringing pain with us. We’re bringing a whole lot of pain. Keep tuned.”