Anthony Joshua is targeting a fight with Murat Gassiev if he defeats Tyson Fury in their upcoming bout on December 11 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The fight, also known as the Battle of Britain, has been years in the making and will have significant implications for the heavyweight division. The WBA's primary world title, the 'super' heavyweight strap, is reportedly up for grabs for the winner. This would mark the first time the 'super' belt has been contested between two non-titlists in boxing's glamour division.
Gassiev, who became the sole WBA heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his world titles in June, had previously held the WBA's secondary 'regular' belt. He defended his title in July against Peter Kadiru but was informed that he would be returning to his WBA 'regular' status to make way for Fury and Joshua. Gassiev and his team lodged a formal objection, demanding that the WBA publicly refute the reports and take no action that would deny Gassiev his rightful status. As of Tuesday, Gassiev stated that he hadn't received any official confirmation from the WBA.
Fury has since confirmed that the WBA 'super' belt has been sanctioned for his bout with Joshua, although it wasn't mentioned at Wednesday's press conference. Joshua, when asked at stageside which champion he would like to fight next if he beats Fury, responded: "Murat Gassiev." According to the WBA's rules, a 'super' champion is obligated to make a defence against the 'regular' titlist in a period no longer than 18 months. This could mean that Joshua, if victorious, is compelled to box Gassiev in the not-so-distant future.
However, the WBA has often disregarded this rule, especially at heavyweight. Mahmoud Charr, for example, held the WBA 'regular' trinket for five consecutive years without unification. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, disclosed that AJ accepted a pay cut of over £10m for the long-awaited clash with Fury to hold in the UK. Joshua and Hearn held out for the fight to be staged in Britain while Saudi Arabia's boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh, his American partner Dana White, and broadcaster Netflix pressed for New York's Madison Square Garden as the venue.
The fight will take place at the 80,000-capacity Principality Stadium in Cardiff, chosen because of its retractable roof. For it to happen in Cardiff on December 11, Joshua had to accept a reduced purse. Hearn said that Joshua felt the need to keep the fight in the UK, despite the significant pay cut. Alalshikh revealed that moving the fight away from New York cost him €62m, and holding the ring walks in the early hours of the Saturday morning was a concession that had to be made for the American market.
Wembley was Alalshikh's preferred choice, with his ambition to have pop star Dua Lipa also performing on the night, but the strict 11 pm curfew in place for events at the venue made it unviable. Alalshikh stated that he wanted the fight at Wembley, but the mayor and Dua Lipa were unable to secure the necessary permissions. In the end, Wales has delivered, and that’s still in the UK, according to Alalshikh.
The upcoming fight between Joshua and Fury has significant implications for the heavyweight division, with the WBA 'super' belt on the line. If Joshua emerges victorious, he will likely face Gassiev in his next fight, according to the WBA's rules. However, the WBA's history of disregarding its own rules, especially at heavyweight, means that the outcome is far from certain.
Key points
- Anthony Joshua wants to face Murat Gassiev if he beats Tyson Fury.
- The WBA 'super' heavyweight title is reportedly up for grabs in the Fury-Joshua fight.
- Joshua accepted a pay cut of over £10m for the fight to take place in the UK.
