A HEAVYWEIGHT unification fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been handed a boost as WBO boss admitted Joe Joyce's shot at the Ukrainian is not imminent.
Putney pounder Joyce is the mandatory challenger for Usyk's WBO title and has been vocal about getting his hands on the undefeated 35-year-old.
However, despite his KO win over Joseph Parker, Joyce may have to wait with his title shot not in the works, according to WBO president Paco Valcarcel, who says they do not "want to stop any unification" fight between Usyk and WBC champ Fury.
A fight between 33-year-old Fury and Usyk would see all the heavyweight titles be up for grabs.
WBA and IBF mandatories, potentially Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic respectively, could also be in line before Joyce.
Joyce and Usyk bumped into one another at the 35th WBO Convention and were friendly.
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Joyce and Usyk pictured together with ‘future heavyweight title fight’ teased
The pair posed for a picture and promoter Frank Warren talked up a future fight.
Warren recently said: "We've worked very hard over the last few years on this heavyweight scene and we've guided our guys in different organisations and we've boxed it off a bit so I'm pleased.
"Joe did extremely well [against Joseph Parker], got great reviews back from America because his fight did big numbers over there.
"It was a good fight to watch. He's set himself up.
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"Him and Tyson [Fury] will be a huge fight, [Deontay] Wilder will be a huge fight, AJ.
"He'll be out in February. He's in a real good spot."
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