Anthony Joshua given fresh hope in landing Tyson Fury fight as boxing chief gives green light for all-Brit bout

TYSON FURY has been given the green light by the WBC to fight Anthony Joshua if he defeats Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury faces Usyk in the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification on May 18 but the pair are also contracted to an immediate rematch.

Reuters

Tyson Fury with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman[/caption]

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Anthony Joshua reacts after knocking out Francis Ngannou[/caption]

The two-bout series threatens to see Fury tied up for the whole year, KOing hopes for a Battle of Britain bout with AJ.

But Mauricio Sulaiman – president of the WBC in which Fury is champion – would give the go-ahead to face AJ after Usyk.

Sulaiman told Sky Sports: “The WBC was presented a sanction request which was to fight for the undisputed.

“The WBC accepted that sanctioning and we accepted the rematch they have requested.

“But, if it is not anything to do with contractual or promotion, we would absolutely accept the winner to fight Joshua.

“The WBC has been very much attentive to this matter. So we have completely freed the ground for the undisputed, for a rematch, and for another fight of that level.

“The WBC position right now is very open to support the undisputed champion taking on the fights that the fans want to see.”

Fury was ringside in Saudi Arabia to watch Joshua knock out Francis Ngannou in two rounds.

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It was only five months earlier that the MMA superstar, 37, floored Fury only to lose a controversial split-decision.

So AJ’s stunning stoppage had his promoter Eddie Hearn hailing him as the world’s best heavyweight.

But Fury – who faces the man who twice beat Joshua in Usyk – had something to say about that as he vowed to set the super-fight up.

He told BBC: “Congratulations to Joshua, but listen we all know styles make fights and Eddie Hearn’s shouting he’s the best heavyweight in the world, we know he’s not. 

“He’s already been beaten by Usyk twice and I’ve got to deal with that problem for him.

“So after I’ve done that – twice – and if he’s still available, we’ll get it on. Get it on like Donkey Kong!”