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Anthony Joshua Could Be Forced To Vacate One Of His World Titles, Says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua Could Be Forced To Vacate One Of His World Titles, Says Eddie Hearn

The IBF has called for Anthony Joshua to face Kubrat Pulev, while the WBO has ordered the heavyweight champ to take on Oleksandr Usyk.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

A frustrated Eddie Hearn has admitted that Anthony Joshua could be forced to vacate one of his four world titles in 2020.

The 30-year-old Brit superstar became a two-time unified heavyweight champ after he avenged his only defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr earlier this month.

But two of boxing's major sanctioning bodies are now demanding that Joshua defend his championship against their mandatory challengers.

The IBF has called for 'AJ' to face Kubrat Pulev, while the WBO has ordered the heavyweight champ to take on Oleksandr Usyk.

When Hearn was asked about finding a solution over Joshua's next mandatory challenger, the Matchroom boss told iFL TV: "We've written to the WBO and the IBF and it's like, 'No, we're next. No, we're next.'

"Guys, who's f*****g next? 'Well, we are. No, we are.'

PA
PA

"What are you gonna do, are you just gonna fragment the belts with a lack of common sense?

"There has to be some kind of rotation system that tells you who is next.

"You've got to encourage people to unify and to become undisputed. I feel it's really frustrating, it's one of the many problems in boxing.

"If they say, 'Your next two fights have got to be mandatory, then [the other] mandatory.' Okay.

"But don't say, 'No, these are your two fights and if you don't like it, you've got to drop a belt.'

PA
PA

Hearn, 40, went on to admit that it could be a real possibility that Joshua is forced to vacate one of his belts.

He continued: "That's the frustrating thing and at the moment we might have to vacate a belt.

"We're gonna speak to Usyk, we're gonna speak to Pulev, we're gonna see what the deals are to be done with those guys.

"And we're gonna push with the IBF and the WBO [for a solution]."

Joshua has been vocal about his desire to set up a unification match in 2020 and called out both Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder on social media.

Featured Image Credit: PA/iFL TV

Topics: AJ, Boxing News, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Eddie Hearn