Frank Warren, promoter of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) and head of Queensberry Promotions, commented on the news that the International Boxing Federation (IBF) might strip Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) of his status as undisputed heavyweight champion.
"Usyk is suspended by the commission, if I'm not mistaken, for 40 or 45 days. At this stage, he can't lose his title because he's not able to defend it. The fight between Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic is a fantastic matchup. In the worst-case scenario, it will be for an 'interim' title. I don't see a problem with that. Perhaps the Hrgovic and Dubois teams will be upset, but I believe that the Usyk-Fury rematch should once again be for all four belts," said Warren.
It is worth noting that Usyk may be stripped of his IBF title due to his inability to fulfill a mandatory defense against Filip Hrgovic. IBF President Daryl Peoples has stated that any reigning champion can request an exception from any of the federation's rules. Usyk's team has submitted such a request and is awaiting a decision.
On the night of May 19, Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk is the first undisputed champion in this division since Lennox Lewis, who achieved the feat on November 13, 1999, by defeating Evander Holyfield in their rematch.