WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has confirmed Anthony Joshua could face Deontay Wilder as a final eliminator to determine a mandatory contender for the heavyweight title.
Joshua and Wilder are expected to fight each other after they compete in separate bouts against Otto Wallin and Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Sulaiman has now confirmed that AJ and Wilder will fight each other as a final eliminator for the WBC belt if they both emerge victorious from their respective bouts in December.
However, they will have to wait a while to get their shot at the title as Tyson Fury, who currently holds the WBC belt is set to face Oleksandr Usyk – who currently holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts – on February 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Sulaiman also suggested there may be a rematch between Fury and Usyk, which could take place before either Wilder or Joshua get their chance at the undisputed title.
‘We’ve been waiting and pushing and mediating and encouraging everyone to try to make this [Joshua vs Wilder] happen,’ Sulaiman told Sky Sport.
‘When Wilder was champion there were a couple of occasions where Wilder-Joshua came very close. The WBC left that window without interfering with anything that could get in the way. Then with Tyson Fury, he was ready to fight Joshua, then Usyk.
‘The problem that could happen is a mandatory contender,’ he continued. ‘We did order Wilder against [Andy] Ruiz, which was a tremendous fight, to find a mandatory contender.
‘That fight didn’t take place. So the WBC board of governors has approved Fury against Usyk in February and then the rematch so there will not be anything in the way, as far as the WBC, for both fights to take place.’
Sulaiman went on to speak about the December 23 card in detail, saying: ‘In itself, it is a natural WBC elimination tournament. You have Wilder, No 1, Joshua, you have Parker, you have Otto Wallin, all those are highly ranked in the WBC. After December 23 we’re going to see a different picture in the rankings.’
He went on to add: ‘It looks like Wilder and Joshua are on a collision course. That could very well be a final elimination to determine a mandatory contender for the WBC title.’
