If Anthony Joshua handles his mandatory challenge from Kubrat Pulev and Tyson Fury defeats Deontay Wilder in a trilogy fight, the plan was for "AJ" and the "Gypsy King" to face each other with undisputed heavyweight glory on the line. A two-fight deal has even been agreed upon in principle.
Well, the WBC is saying not so fast.
If Fury defeats Wilder again in a bout that's tentatively slated for Dec. 19, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman wants all to know that Dillian Whyte will be next in line to take a crack at Fury's WBC title.
"The WBC has reviewed every single weight category, considering the pandemic," Sulaiman told Sky Sports in a story published Friday. "We have had the flexibility with our champions and the WBC has approved Fury to fight by the end of the year, if it's announced that it might be December 19, and the winner must make the mandatory defense early next year.
"When the (Fury-Wilder) fight takes place, we will order the pre-negotiations, so it's a process that the promoters negotiate the fight and a date," he continued. "It makes no sense to speculate on a date, but it's going to be early next year when they are able to negotiate, or it goes to a purse bid."
That's where Whyte would come in as the mandatory WBC challenger ... as long as he doesn't have a letdown in his own bout against Alexander Povetkin on Aug. 22.
Like Sulaiman, Eddie Hearn firmly expects Whyte to stake his claim as the mandatory challenger to Fury's throne, and the Matchroom Boxing promoter even has a timetable for it to happen.
"Dillian takes priority," Hearn also told Sky Sports. "Dillian has to have that fight by the end of February, and if it goes into March, it goes into March. Anthony Joshua is boxing in December. He won't be ready to box again until June-July. Everybody acknowledges that's the mandatory and that it's next."