Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory challenger for the WBO heavyweight champion. He is keen to fight the winner of Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua II in 2020.
The IBF, WBA, WBO world heavyweight champion Ruiz will meet Joshua on December 7 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. It is unclear who the winner will be mandated to fight, but the Ukrainian’s promoter Eddie Hearn is confident it will be Usyk.
“I am ready to fight them. If they are going to offer it to me, of course I am going to take it,” Usyk said.
Usyk made his heavyweight debut in October, the 2012 heavyweight gold medalist earned technical knockout win over Chazz Witherspoon in the seventh round.
In cruiserweight, Usyk’s best wins were against a really first rate group of couple boxers, including Huck, Briedis, and Gassiev. Even though his competition was smaller, it was a better class than Joshua’s and Ruiz’s.
Again it’s about the weight and why we have weight classes. Pure simple both Joshua and Ruiz are too big. Not only are the weight and size lopsided but Usyk doesn’t look to have the physique to put on another 25 to 30lb at least. He is also already 32 years of age, so he cannot count on beating either heavyweight champion by waiting to age them before fighting.
Matchroom promoter Hearn on the other hand, confirmed that former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk will be present for Ruiz and Joshua rematch.
“He will be out in Saudi Arabia to watch that fight. The instructions to me are: world heavyweight championship next. It wouldn’t hurt to have one more.” Hearn said.
“But they say: we have won every belt at cruiserweight, we have had our heavyweight warm-up, we are ready. My message is straight to the world title” Hearn added.
If they fought now, Usyk might be very competitive. As a heavyweight newcomer, he is not too small.
