Boxing politics are such that already there is the suggestion being bandied about that Anthony Joshua could be forced to relinquish his IBF world heavyweight title belt.
In a similar scenario to that which faced Tyson Fury after he?d beaten Waldimir Klitschko, one of the organisations behind the belt wants its champion to face a mandatory challenger before the matter of the re-match in the contract can be sorted out.
For Joshua, who will most probably be taking a re-match with Wladimir Klitschko, once the Ukrainian decides to box on, it will mean not being able to take a mandatory defence of his IBF belt against Kubrat Pulev.
As well as proving annoying in the fact that belts have to be relinquished, these orders hinder the chances of a boxer unifying all four major belts, with the WBO belt being held by Joseph Parker and the WBC by Deontay Wilder.
Talking about Joshua?s predicament, Eddie Hearn has remarked,
?Talks with the IBF and Pulev?s promoter Team Sauerland are ongoing.
?By the weekend we should have some clarity but it is very complicated.
?We don?t want to drop the IBF belt but if we have to we?ll have no problem doing exactly that.
?We won?t let boxing politics get in the way of AJ?s progression. Ideally, we want all the belts but when you get close, it becomes difficult.?
However, one possible solution is also being discussed, with Hearn further adding,
?We could look to do a deal with Pulev and try to make an interim bout for the belt ? with the winner of that to face AJ.?
Or as a last resort, Pulev could be offered a considerable sum of money to simply step aside.
Not the most satisfactory state of affairs is it after AJ worked so hard to get the IBF belt and keep hold of it!
Joshua IBF Belt Relinquish Talk
