WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has confirmed that his organization will be sanctioning the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight in December as soon as they get the word from the promoters that the negotiations are completed.
Sulaiman says WBC heavyweight champion Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) just successfully defended his title against his mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte last April, so he’s free to make a voluntary defense against Joshua next on December 3rd in Cardiff, Wales.
It’s not surprising that the WBC is sanctioning the Fury vs. Joshua fight, as it’s expected to be a massive one.
The last thing the World Boxing Council wants to do is to get in the way of a mega-fight like Fury-Joshua. If they did, it’s almost a given that Fury would vacate his WBC belt and face Joshua without the strap. There’s too much money on the line for Fury to let the sanctioning body block his fight with Joshua.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said earlier today that the negotiations with Fury are “90%” done and just need to get an agreement with his broadcast partners.
“It seems to be close. I’ve been following the news just like you, and it seems very doable. It would be a sensational fight to close, which has been a historic year,” said WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman to Secondsout about the Fury vs. Joshua fight.
“Tyson Fury is free right now to do a voluntary defense. He did the mandatory in April [against Dillian Whyte]. We will get the notification from the promoter in April, and then we will sanction the fight,” said Sulaiman.
Hearn waiting for Fury vs. Joshua contract
“Just waiting for the contract. George [Warren] called early actually, but I’m just waiting for the contract,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV on the Fury vs. Joshua fight negotiations.
“He [Frank Warren] said it’s about ‘90% done.’ I think that’s about right. Whenever you agree to terms for a fight, it’s very positive, but we haven’t received the contract yet. We have to review that.
“There are conversations to be had with our exclusive broadcast partners [DAZN] for either side, but everybody is up for it. “If everyone has pure intentions, I think we can get it made,” said Hearn.
